Wanderer of Elibe
by KanArcoGuppy
Summary: The ever alluring continent of Elibe was always calling out to Mark. He had to see it, and now was possibly the only chance he'd get. If only he had known exactly what sort of politics he would be pulled into after trying desperately to escape them. (A more in depth look/exploration of Mark, the tactician of Fire Emblem 7)
1. A plain beginning

Mark stumbled back and forth through the plains. He squinted, holding his hand to block the sun. There was nothing but plains for miles. When he said he wanted to see the world, he meant it, but this was just stupid. Surely there was more to the world than this? All he did was head north-east out of Etruria and after one or two mountains, this was all he'd seen. He was getting pretty tired of it too. His pack weighed heavy on his back, filled with a bedroll, several bookshelves worth of books, one fire tome, and a sword for defence.

"I shouldn't have… forgotten that water…" He panted to himself, staring at the endless blue sky. His vision started to blur in and out. He contemplated the endless blue above and endless green below. It would make a lovely painting, like the ones his father used to make. He held a hand out towards the horizon in an attempt to grab it. The simple action ruined his delicate balance and sent him face first into the grass. He groaned lightly and rolled to his back. Clouds passed by aimlessly, not caring about the fact that he was dying. Mark held up his hands, watching as they added a new player in the painting. He swayed them back and forth watching as they left patterns in his mind. Eventually his hands fell to his side, unable to maintain their position. He sighed.

"Alright, time to get up I guess." He said. And waited. For several minutes. "Alright." He corrected himself. "Looks like I'm staying here. His vision blurred once more, slowly going back to normal. He was hungry, dehydrated, suffering from minor blood loss, and to top it off he had a headache. That was the worst thing, to be honest. He hated headaches more than anything. More than his hunger. More than his thirst. More than the sealed wound in his side. He should check up on that actually. He casually leaned forward and pulled the knife out of his side, examining it. That bandit sure got him, didn't he? Mark blinked twice at the knife, as realization hit him. He looked at his side, the wound now gushing out blood. Mark layed there for a moment, before looking back to the sky and laughing at his idiocy.

"Well." He said, to no one. "What a way to go, huh? Can't say I ever saw this coming." He stared at the sky. Hardly even able to move his eyes anymore. He stared. And stared. And eventually reached a state where he felt like he was simply going to bed. His eyes closed. He felt the light breeze of the plains caress his face, sending his mid length brown hair in a light frenzy. He smiled. _This isn't so bad._ He thought. _I'm just going to sleep. From the blood loss I've achieved at this point, I'm not going to wake up either._ He yawned. _Oh well._ He thought, using the last of his strength to shift his pack to be a pillow. Just before he fell asleep, he felt shade suddenly greet him. He lazily opened his eyes to see the shadow of a long haired individual against the sky.

"Oh, hi." Mark said without enthusiasm. "Are you here to take me to… heaven…" He smiled, laughing slightly, coughing, and going under.

* * *

When he woke up, the sky was gone. Instead, there was the tan ceiling of a hide tent. He blinked a few times before looking to his side. No one there. He looked to his other side. No one there. No one in front. No one in back. He was alone in this little room, resting on a bed. He looked down at his side, noting that his wounds were bandaged. He leaned back against the soft pillow someone had put behind him. He smiled contently and fell back asleep. He slept what seemed to be an eternity. When he awoke he was in the same place. He frowned a little bit. _How boring._ He thought. _I really hope the afterlife isn't just one lonely room. That would be so sad._ This time, he heard a ruffling to his side. He turned his head. Standing with his back to him was a person in a tael piece of clothing. Long green hair tied in a single ponytail reached the person's waist, where there was a sword strapped to their side. They had a rather nice waist too. Looking up, he saw earrings. _Huh._ He thought. _There aren't supposed to be any Sacaen people here. At least, according to that one book. Though, it was somewhat outdated. Plus, the nomads move constantly._ Then it hit him. It didn't matter. This was the afterlife. It's not like the plainsfolk were denied access to the afterlife. He laughed a little to himself for his stupidity, but it came out like a pained wheeze. The person turned around.

Now determined to be female, for obvious reasons, Mark looked plainly at the woman standing in front of him. _Yup._ He thought to himself happily. _This is most certainly the afterlife._ _There's no way someone like her would be this close to me while I'm in a bed otherwise._ The look on the woman's rather pretty face turned into a radiant smile.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" She said happily, putting down the bowl of soup she was holding. She kneeled by the bed and examined Mark's face. "I've got to say, I was worried I was going to lose you there! What's your name?" Mark creased his eyebrow in confusion. Lost him? How does one get lost in the afterlife? Well whatever, he could figure it out later. Mark smiled and opened his mouth to speak but couldn't. The smile on the woman's face slowly faded into a more grim expression.

"I guess you aren't fully healed. That makes sense. You were near dead when I found you." She stood up and went back to the soup. _Well, I'm_ all _dead now, hahaha!_ Mark wanted to quip, but his vocal chords refused. Man, why did the afterlife suck so far? He'd done nothing but sleep and stare at a wall. Now when there was a beautiful woman next to him he couldn't even lay on the charms. _Figures._ He thought. _I wonder if this has to do with that tomb I raided?_ The woman came back with the soup and held the spoon to his lips. He ate it begrudgingly. It wasn't quite the rich food he was used to, but it would do for now. There were probably restaurants in the afterlife he could get better meals at.

"That should help your voice recover. You should be able to talk in a few minutes. Special Sacaen recipe." She said smiling, standing up and drinking from a different bowl she had poured for herself. The remained in silence until Mark suddenly began to cough violently. He shot up and doubled over, spitting up mucus. Eventually it stopped. He breathed raggedly, staring at his bedding.

"What… the hell…" He said weakly.

"See? I told you it would work!" The woman said proudly. "So, let's try again." She brushed her clothing to free it from wrinkles, and then did a gesture with both hands that Mark didn't recognize.. "I'm Lyn. I saved you from dying in the plains, and this is my home. What is your name?" She waited. Mark blinked.

"...Saved me from dying?" He said. His spirits slowly fell. He was really looking forward to that whole afterlife gig.

Lyn looked at him confused. "...Yes? It was the right thing to do, and I really don't mind you staying here or anything, really, it's no trouble-" Mark held up a hand in thought and Lyn quietly faded into silence. _I'm not dead!_ Mark exclaimed in his head. _DAMMIT._ He grimaced. Lyn leaned in.

"Hey are you alright? Are you in pain?" She asked. Mark shook his head, sighing.

"No, no, I'm alright thanks to you." He brushed his hands off on his bedding before extending a hand. "Hello Lyn." He said, smiling. _Maybe this won't be so bad._ He thought. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Mark, and I am a travelling scholar and tactician by trade." Lyn's eyes widened in excitement.

"You travel?" She said happily. Mark frowned a little. _I'm a scholar and a tactician, and she decides to hone in on the fact that I travel._

"Well, yes, but I still have quite a lot of this world to see. I was hoping to make it to Ilia through Sacae but…" Mark looked at his bandaged side. "Well, looks like that's going on hold for a little while."

Lyn stared at him thoughtfully. "Ilia…" She pondered. "That's where Florina is from! I've always wanted to see it. It has that… thing right?" She held her arms out wide, bewildering Mark as to what she could possibly mean.

"You're uh… Going to have to be a bit more specific there Lyn." Mark said flatly. Lyn put down her arms and creased her brow in frustration, turning to her side in thought.

"You know, what's it called? It's supposed to be cold and white and-" Lyn clapped her hands together and looked back at Mark having figured it out. "Snew right?" She said happily. Mark stared at her blankly before it hit him.

"You… you mean snow?" He said, cracking a smile and trying his best not to laugh.

"Yes, that!" She said, eyes twinkling with wonder. "When you're better will you… take me with you on your travels? I-I know that's a lot to ask but I've always wanted to see the world, and you seem nice so… what do you say?" Mark didn't reply. "I can fight too!" Lyn offered further. "So, I can stop wounds like that from happening again. Please? I really want to see the rest of the world! Theres… nothing left here for me to see." She looked down for a moment before her head rose again in determination. Mark stared at her, suddenly fully sobered and serious. Lyn seemed to notice this change in him, because she leaned in a little closer to get at his face.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look sick all of a sudden." she offered. Mark stared at the blanket that covered his legs as his mind went back down tormented roads.

" _I DENOUNCE YOU!" Mark had shouted at his parents, throwing his father's latest work, a commision for the Lord Yerion on the northern border. "You have betrayed me, our family, and all of Etruria! How could you!" Mark shouted further, tears brimming in his eyes._

" _Do you think we'll allow you to continue living here with that insulting tongue? What I did was for your own good! You cannot comprehend the situation!" Mark's father said sternly. He too, was on the brink of tears._

" _I don't care if you won't let me live here." Mark had said. "Because I…. I want to see the rest of the world!" Her had turned away from his parents, and quietly finished. "...There's nothing left here for me to see."_

"Hey!" Lyn said, waving a hand in front of his face. Mark breathed in sharply, snapping back into the present. _Where was I?_ He thought. _Oh right. Lyn._

Mark sighed and smiled weakly. "I don't think so Lyn. I'm kinda making the trip to prove a point. If you really want to come that badly, ask your parents to take you sometime or something." He meant it as an offhand rejection, but Lyn's whole posture changed at the end.

"My parents are dead." she said flatly, staring at the floor. Mark waited for more context. But it didn't come.

"...Oh. I'm sorry." He said. Now he just felt like an asshole. "I-I suppose I could take-" Just as he said that, Lyn's head snapped up and she looked to the wall. Was she trying not to look at him, thinking he was lying? Was she about to cry or something? Mark scooted forward a little and continued. "N-No really, I'll take you with me if-" Lyn, without looking, shot up a hand and clamped it over his mouth. Mark swallowed hard for a variety of reasons. His eyes fluttered towards Lyn as she slowly rose from the bed and grabbed the sword by her side..

"Stay here." she whispered. "I'll be right back."

"What's happening?" Mark asked. Lyn looked at him, a clear look of fright in her eyes.

"Bandits. Not uncommon around here. Just wait. You're in no condition to fight." Lyn turned to the opening, took a deep breath, and walked outside. Mark stared at the ceiling for a while. _Should I really do nothing? I've done a lot of fighting, I could at least use magic._ Mark swallowed hard and rose from the bed, pain shooting through his side. He took a couple sharp breaths before finishing his ascent. He reached into his pack, propped against the wall, and pulled out his fire tome. He hobbled out into the blinding sunlight.

* * *

Lyn was a little ways away, hiding in some tall grass. About two hundred yards or so off, there were two men with axes walking towards the tent. They seemed in good spirits, joking and laughing with eachother until they reached a giant white building. One of them gave a signal to the other, and then walked into the white building. The other one kept coming towards the tent. Mark hobbled to Lyn and collapsed next to her. She almost impaled him with her sword before she saw who it was. Mark smiled meekly.

"...Hi?" He said nervously. Lyn huffed a little before helping him up into a crouch.

"Why did you come outside?" Lyn said.

Mark held up his tome. "To help!" He said cheerfully. He pointed to his side, and then the approaching bandit. "You helped me with a pain in my side, I can at least help you get rid of a pain in yours." Mark winked. _Charms back in full swing_ , he thought to himself. Lyn stared at him for a moment before actually breaking into light laughter, holding a hand over her mouth to stop the noise.

"Alright then." She said. "You said you were a tactician right?" Mark nodded. Lyn gestured to the bandit. "Then go ahead and tell me what to do. I put myself in your hands." Mark thought for a moment.

"Ok." He said leaning closer. "Stay here, attack him on my signal."

Lyn nodded. "What's the signal?" she said, as Mark turned and crawled away through the tall grass.

"You'll know." Mark said as he left. Mark continued until he was to the right and behind of the bandit, careful to have only moved when the wind was blowing, so that moving grass wouldn't cause suspicion. Just as the bandit got to where Lyn was, Mark hopped up standing fully, and set his hand on fire with a giant ball of fire.

"HEY, BASTARD!" Mark shouted at the top of his lungs. He must've guessed the name right because the bandit turned to him. "YOU LOOK A LITTLE COLD!" He held the fire ball up higher. The bandit growled at him and fully turned around. Mark smiled. _Bye._ He thought. Lyn rose, directly behind the bandit, never having moved. One swift stab later, and the bandit was lost in the grass. Mark smiled and extinguished his hand. He made his way back to Lyn, who looked a whole lot less scared now.

"Perfect." She said, glaring at the bandit. "This is for everyone!" She said a little louder. Mark cocked his head to the side.

"Everyone?" He asked. Lyn nodded.

"I'll explain later. What's the plan for the next one. Same thing?" She asked. Mark nodded and got back into position.

A few minutes later, the bigger bandit came out of the white building and called out for his now deceased pal. Confused, he started coming towards the tent to investigate. Perfect. Mark lay perfectly still, watching the bandit closely, waiting for his chance to distract. Eventually, he rose up.

"HEY UGLY!" He shouted, holding another ball of fire. This time, the bandit turned and immediatly charged Mark.

"Who do you think you are?" He shouted angrily. "You think you can stand up to Batta the Beast?" His axe gleamed in the sunlight. Mark felt a couple beads of sweat go down his face. This was not the optimal situation. Lyn never got the chance to strike due to this guy's berserking nature.

 _Not good._ Mark thought. He fired off the ball from his hand, and Batta dodged it easily. _NOT GOOD._ Mark thought now, more urgently. He stood still, unable to move quickly because of his injuries. He noticed Lyn running up silently behind the bandit, sword at the ready. Mark fired off fireball after fireball, only once hitting him. It hit his shoulder, and he simply grimaced and shrugged it off. Mark had one last plan.

"Try me then." He said, assuming a hand to hand combat position and smiling his best cocky smile. Just as Batta got into melee range, Mark dodged the only way his body could: falling in place. Mark fell backwards. _Please Lyn._ He thought before hitting the ground. _Make it to him in time._ Batta swung and missed, a look of confusion on his face from Mark's odd dodge. It bought just enough time. Lyn let out a cry and stabbed Batta in the hip. He turned and swung with inhuman reflexes, catching Lyn on the side of her thigh. She cried out in pain and fell to one knee. Batta laughed and raised his axe. Mark quickly fired off a small fireball that hit his wrist, causing him to drop his axe and grab his wrist in pain. He bent over forward and let out a cry. Now in range, Lyn dealt the finishing blow, right into his chest.

Batta slowly looked down at his chest. "Wh-What? How… How did you…?" The life slowly left his eyes as he slumped onto Lyn, who grunted at the weight. Mark crawled over to the two of them and, using the rest of his strength, ripped Batta off of Lyn. Crawling to her side, he turned onto his back and stared at the sky with Lyn by his side. They both panted heavily.

"That was…" Lyn started. "...close." She said after several more breaths. Mark nodded in agreement. They stayed like this for maybe an hour or so, not speaking, and eventually regaining control of their senses.

"So…" Mark said, exhaling deeply. He turned to her. "You said you wanted to travel?"

 **AN- Hey there, Matt here. This is going to be a little side project of mine that I'm only going to do whenever I feel inspired to do it. Luckily I feel like writing a bunch for this right now and nothing but time so expect at least I'd say 8 chapters before school started again (Late August) and probably a few Song for Peace and War chapters as well. In fact that one should come again pretty soon. Anyways, as you can tell this is for FE7, which has always been my personal favorite. In this, even though he is technically the "playable character" Mark is in no way meant to be me or like me. My biggest goal for this fic is to explore the ways the Mark could have been deeper invested in the story of FE7 than he already was. Essentially I'm going to give him plot relevance on par with at least the likes of Oswin or Nino. As such, expect some cannon changes, some tragic tales, and overall a more in depth look into what Mark could have been if he wasn't the silent lovable guy he was. He wasn't in the character selection thingy for the description, so I've used "OC" to represent him. See you all again soon. ~Matt.**


	2. A tactical scapegoat

Mark stared at the sky outside of Lyn's tent. The skirmish a week earlier had weakened his already weakened state, and Lyn was unable to walk on both legs for a day or too. As such they decided to take the appropriate amount of time off before Mark continued his quest with Lyn in tow. Since Lyn's tent only had one bed and she refused to share it, she showed him a tent a little ways away that she had been sleeping in while he was unconscious. The revelation of this tent brought to Mark's attention that there was a whole little village of tents with a massive fire pit in the center. No one was there though. Little villages of tents like these showed up often in Mark's research of the area. They were easy to transport, to put up and take down, so they were ideal for the nomadic lifestyle. Lyn still hadn't told him the details on how her parents died, or why she seemed to be alone and willing to travel the world with him, but now he felt like he had an idea. He was glad that he offered to take her with him before he figured all of this out. If he had waited, she might have just taken the gesture as one of pity.

Snapping back into the present, he heard the sound of a flap opening up behind him. Lyn popped out in her usual clothes, now with a large bag over her shoulder. Her sword was strapped to her side. She smiled at Mark.

"Thanks for letting me come along. I know it's harder to travel with more people. More mouths to feed and such."

Mark smiled back. "Not at all. I'd be dead by now if not for you, it's the very least I could do. Besides, why leave friendships at their beginnings? I look forward to getting to know you even better." Lyn laughed a little bit into her hand. Mark raised an eyebrow. "What? What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing you just… sound so formal. You said how you wanted to act more on our friendship as if you were forced." She noticed the look on his face. "I-I know you didn't mean it that way, I just mean you could stand to be more relaxed." Mark nodded.

"Yeah, sorry that part of me slips out from time to time." He silently cursed himself. He'd been trying to get out of his formal speech since he left the manor. _Guess I still have a ways to go._ He thought.

"Well anyways, just let me take down this tent here and we can get going." Mark nodded and looked back at the sky. He had never seen the sky so clear so consistently. He double checked his pack to make sure he had everything. His sword and tome where at his side. He was all checked out. By the time he was done making sure, Lyn was ready herself. Mark had a thought.

"Oh, should I grab a tent too?" He wanted to be considerate.

Lyn blushed lightly and shook her head. "No, I brought an extra bed roll, so it'll be fine. Anyways, did you have any specific destination in mind?"

"Nope." Mark said happily.

"Alright then." Lyn said, "In that case, we should go the Bulgar. It's one of the only places in Sacae that stays in the same place, because it's one of the larger markets in the region. There we can restock on everything we used over the last week, and set off in any direction that we would like."

Mark thought about it for a moment. He hadn't been to Bulgar, and it's not like he was in a rush. Plus, everything she said made perfect sense. He shrugged. "Sounds good to me." He said, and together they set off.

They walked in silence most of the time, Lyn stopping to make sure they were still heading in the right direction, and Mark with his mind occupied in a book. Several books. In fact, Mark held a book in each hand as they walked, occasionally swapping the books with some from his pack, and occasionally his tome. The little conversation that they did have was just small confirmations of direction. Until, at last, Lyn finally tried to break into Mark a little bit.

"We're almost there." She started. Mark didn't respond. Lyn looked at him with her head slightly to the side. "So, what have you been reading this whole time?"

"The theory and usage of anima magic in comparison to that of the dark arts." Mark said, without pausing from his research. Lyn's face only grew more confused.

"Well…" she started. "Is it interesting at least?"

"Exceedingly." Mark said flatly, eyes racing across the pages.

"... So, why did you leave where you were from." That shook him. He looked up from his book with a look of anger before it immediately dematerialized.

"Well, that doesn't really matter does it?" He said light heartedly. "After all, we're just traveling now. Who we were is gone, who we will become is just about set in stone. We've become vagabonds with no home to return to. Unless… you felt differently?"

"Not really…" Lyn said. It was true, she had given up on the plains, at least for now. They just left her sad and wishing she could change the past, which she knew was foolish.

"Exactly." He said. "Anyways, where did you want to go after Bulgar. I don't really care, personally, so I'll let you decide."

Lyn thought about it for a little bit. "I was thinking Ilia, since it was where you were headed anyways. I have a friend there too so I wanted to see it."

"Are you sure it isn't just because of the snow, like you were so excited about when we met?"

"No, of course not!" She said, unconvincingly. Mark burst into a hearty laughter, and Lyn followed suit. When they stopped, they were at the edge of the Bulgar market.

Mark and Lyn had split up to find the things they needed. Mark quickly found everything that he had used up, and was checking out a book vendor when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Just a moment Lyn, I'm looking at this book on the history of the eight heroes and-" He turned around to be face to face with a red haired man in armor. His posture was poised, but relaxed. He had a horse by his side that he was holding the reins for. He was clearly a knight, and likely fought on horseback. His armor was lighter than that of an armored knight.

"Sorry." The man said. "You obviously were very invested in your browsing. I just wanted to ask you a quick question.

Mark blinked, "Oh, sorry, I'm not actually from here so I couldn't tell you anything about this market or anything. I'm just passing through." The knight nodded.

"Yes I see that now, but I'll ask anyways. Have you met anyone named Lyndis? She is supposed to be around here."

"Huh… I don't think so. I know a Lyn, but not a Lyn _dis_. Sorry!"

"No apologies necessary. Please, continue your search. Thank you for your time." The knight bowed slightly and disappeared back into the crowd behind Mark. _Odd._ He thought. _What is a knight from one of the surrounding regions doing out here in the flatlands?_ He shrugged and gave it no further thought. He purchased the books that he wanted and shoved them into the fold of his pack. He walked around the market a bit more looking for his travelling buddy, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Lyn?" He shouted out about the crowds. No reply. "Huh" He huffed. "What would be the best course of action here…" Unsure what to do, he decided that his best choice would be to walk outside the market where he at least wasn't in a crowd.

Mark paced around on the outside wall of the marketplace. He watched as a few groups of travelers came to and fro, some looking like nice families, others like bandits, but all seemed at ease around the marketplace. Perhaps security was tight enough that the bandits didn't have the will to take anything, so the normal travelers felt safe. Either way, it seemed a place where everyone could just get along, and Mark could appreciate that. What he couldn't appreciate was how long Lyn was making him wait.

* * *

 _Come on already, she said she didn't need much._ Mark thought. He leaned against the hot stone that made up the outer wall and looked at the sky. As he had remarked several times to Lyn already, the skies of Sacae where the best part of the region to him. Eventually he heard a noise near the exit of the market.

"No, really, it wasn't like that!" A man shouted in desperation. Mark glanced over to see his traveling companion exit the market in a huff. Mark calmly walked over to her.

"Little trouble in the marketplace?" He asked with a tone of sarcasm. Lyn rolled her eyes and held up her pack. It was clearly packed to the brim, held together by some rope and bulging out in several places.

"Got everything. Let's go." She turned and started walking away.

"To where?" Mark said, jogging to keep up. They hadn't decided, after all.

"Just not here. If we stick around then those knight are gonna-"

"WAIT" shouted the same voice as earlier. Mark looked over his shoulder to see two figures riding to them in the distance. They were still a ways away though. Suddenly Mark felt a hand clamp onto his shoulder. Is was much too large and hairy to be Lyn's. Mark slowly turned around to see the hulking figure of a man.

"Hey." The man said simply, his low voice making Mark shake a little. "Do you know a Lyndis?" He said. He held up his other hand to reveal Lyn's ponytail (and by extension Lyn) in his grasp. "Because this little girl here looks like a Lyndis." Mark snapped into thought.

"Can't say I do?" Mark said with a fake nervousness, shrugging and lifting up his hands. He slowly moved his hands closer to the bandit's arm, under the guise of dropping them. The bandit looked down at him angrily.

"I don't like liars." He said. Mark chuckled.

"Then DAMN are you gonna hate me." Mark said. Quickly, he grabbed the bandit's arm and lit his hand on fire with the only spell he memorized for just such an occasion. The bandit cried out in pain and reflexively let Mark go. He dropped low and shouldered the bandit to the ground. He had let go of Lyn at this point, so she quickly scurried to her feet, drew her sword, and plunged it into the bandit's chest. The bandit slowly started dying, weakly reaching for Lyn before his hand dropped and he passed on. Mark looked up to see angry bandit's coming to avenge their fallen brother. Their leader had his sights set dead on Lyn, his gaze unwavering.

"...Got something to tell me?" Mark said to Lyn.

"Nothing that I'm fully aware of."

"But you're Lyndis, right?"

"Well, that's my full name yes."

"The hell'd you do?"

"I don't know!" They kept this back and forth up for a while until eventually mark felt a hand on his shoulder again.

"Uh…" A voice behind him began, but Mark swiped at it with his hands ablaze. A knight in green armor staggered backwards on his horse, before the horse brayed and knocked him off.

"Oh… sorry." Mark said, huffing, thinking his life had been about to end. "Need something?"

"OW!" The green knight said. He pouted on the ground for a moment. "First the girl's a mean one and now even the guy can't seem to stand my presence. Life is cruel, I say, truly."

"Oh quit your blubbering and get up Sain, we must protect the Lady Lyndis." Said the knight in red, who rode up shortly after the green one. Mark blinked.

"Oh, I know you! You're the one from town!" Mark said. The red knight nodded.

"Yes, my name is Kent. My partner here is Sain. He's a good knight, I swear, he just lets his… flirtatious mannerisms get the best of him sometimes." He turned to Lyn. "Now, may we help you take out these brigands? I promise I will explain all after the day is won." Lyn looked down before looking up at Mark.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"It would certainly be easier if we had them, but you seem upset."

"Well they were rude to me in town."

" _Sain_ was rude to you in town." Kent corrected. Lyn rolled her eyes.

"Sure, but if you think they'll help Mark then so be it, you're the tactician. Direct us." Lyn held her sword at the ready.

Kent looked down at Mark from his mount. "You're a tactician?" He asked. Mark nodded. "Very well, my companion and I put ourselves in your hands. We are fighters trained on horseback, and in both the sword and-"

"I know." Mark cut off, thinking of strategies. "This isn't my first time directing a small unit. One look at you and it's obvious what you can and can't do."

"Oh yeah, like what?" Sain said, now back on his horse. Mark looked at him.

"...Tell me Sain, how often do you swim, because I would say you shirk your duties to do so from time to time.

Sain turned pale. "Wha- but how did you-"

Mark pointed at his neck. "You are noticeably more tan from one point of your neck upwards than below. It can't be from your normal armor because I can see it. If it was from your normal armor, the tan-line would be equal with the hem of your armor. This also implies you don't really swim, you soak. Do you just sit in hot springs, up to the neck? Maybe fell asleep like that one too many times?" Sain grimaced. "And there you go. I can see a lot about you with one look. What you can and can't do on the battlefield is easy for me. Now." He turned to the bandits. They were almost upon them. "Go south into that patch of trees." Mark pointed. "I saw one of them flank off to ambush us from that side. Lyn, Kent, you ride towards that bridge that they've crossed and split up their forces. You'll each need to fight two bandits. Once you've made a path through the middle by dragging the other bandits out of the way…" Mark glared down at the boss. "I'll take muscle head over there."

* * *

The plan went with relative smoothness. The only one that seemed to have trouble was Sain, which was sad considering he only fought one man, while Lyn and Kent each took on two with ease. Mark dashed over the bridge toward the waiting man. The man's ax gleamed in the sunlight, and has dried blood on it's edge. Mark's sword was clean, held in his right hand, and his tome was in his left. His biggest hope was with his initial strike. If the fight took too long, the bandit would win. _Luckily_ Mark thought, _th_ _e Sacaen fighters are just savages. They haven't experienced true wonder on the battle field. Therefore the best strategy..._ as he got within fighting range, he started an incantation. A few moments later his sword burst into flames. The bandit when wide eyed and stumbled back. Mark smiled smugly. _The best strategy is to blow his mind and leave his mental defenses a wreck._

Mark jumped up into a swinging strike and cut a gash into the bandit's ax arm. He grimaced and turned, but Mark was already moving again. The leg, the other arm, the chest. All small gashes, but with the bandit unsure of the sword's power and the unfamiliar feel of a burning hot blade, he was simply terrified. Eventually he was on his back, shuffling away from Mark who slowly approached, smiling an evil grin at his complete victory.

"D-Damn... it was only supposed to be... a lone girl..." He said, voice shaking. Mark squated down to his defeated opponents level.

"I'd let you live but..." Mark casually slipped the flaming sword into the mans chest. "...something tells me you won't be the last of your kind I'll meet, and I don't want them to know I can do this either." Mark gestured to the flaming sword. "Sorry. You're a potential tactical scapegoat." The man looked up at him in fear, and slowly died, falling over. Mark sighed, unsheathing his sword from the man's chest and putting out the flames. He pulled out a rag from a pocket in his coat and wiped off the blood. Soon enough, it gleamed as if the fight had never happened. When he turned back he saw his travel buddy and the two knights heading towards him. _Lyn. Lyndis. Whichever. You've got yourself some explaining to do._

 **A/N Matt: Yay part two! Cool beans. Took me forever to work up the nerve to actually write it up even though I'm excited for this series. Just been that kind of summer you know? Ah well. Here we get to see a little bit of a darker side to Mark. Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Not the brightest

Mark casually walked back to meet his companions, panting slightly from the skirmish he just had. By the time he reached them, they were already in deep conversation. He kept quiet so as to avoid being rude.

"Well, to be fair if you hadn't run away…" Sain started before Lyn shot him a look.

"What was I supposed to think? Two men I don't know approach me, and one starts to court me out of nowhere. What would you have done?"

"Accepted my flirtations gracefully and gone on a date with me?" Sain said, smiling and shrugging.

Kent elbowed him. "I really do apologize for him my lady, I'd say he's usually not like this buuuuut….. well he is." Kent said sadly.

" _Like this?_ " Sain said incredulously. He made a "tsk" sound and shook his head. "Why must you all be so cruel to me? What did I ever do besides be devilishly handso-" Kent elbowed him again before he could finish.

"Anyways my lady, allow me to explain. We are knights of Caelin, one of the territories of Lycia. We were tasked with finding the Marquess Hausen's sole heir, his granddaughter. Her name is Lyndis, according to a letter from the marquess's daughter."

"Well I'm sure there are plenty of people named Lyndis in the world…" Lyn started, but she looked worried.

Kent nodded. "Indeed, but there's more. You see, the marquess's daughter, Madelyn, left the castle in secret many years ago. The marquess refused to give his blessing for her proposed marriage with a Sacaen nomad, you see, so she took matters into her own hands. This was a long time ago, and the marquess stripped her of her right to Caelin. However, once he read her letter to him, everything changed. He decided to accept his daughter and her love, immediately reinstated them in position for the position of marquess, and sent us to find them and invite them back to the castle to live in peace and comfort. Her letter indicated that she was living happily on the plains with her husband and daughter, so of course that's where we went to look. However when Sain and I arrived…" Kent trailed off. Lyn held her arm and looked down.

"...My mother's name was Madelyn." Lyn muttered.

"We thought it might be." said Sain. His brashness was gone, Mark noted. He now had a somewhat serious air about him. Seems like even he could sober up when it's important. "We pressed around a bit and discovered that one person survived the massacre of the Lorca… the chieftain's daughter. Lady Madelyn had married a chieftain. Putting two and two together…"

"We understand that is all very shocking for you, but if you would allow us, please let us escort you back to Caelin. Your grandfather would love to meet you."

"And what if I'm not actually the Lyndis that you are searching for?" Lyn asked softly.

"You are." Kent said. "You look just like your mother. I have seen her portrait many times in the castle. You have her same eyes and gentle face." Lyn looked away again.

"My grandfather…" she said quietly to herself. Together, the four stood in silence as Lyn pondered her choices. Mark's mind wandered. Personally, he thought that there were too many little details for it to be untrue, and obviously those details resonated with Lyn, meaning she also thought they were true. The real question was whether or not to go along with the knights. If she refused to go, it's not like they could force her without angering her grandfather. Mark hoped she would refuse. He had suddenly learned he didn't like travelling alone as much as he thought. Maybe it was the fact that last time he did he almost died. Maybe it was the company itself. Either way, it had just started, and he would be sad to see it go. And it was going, he was sure. The look on Lyn's face was one of someone trying to find a reason to say no, but being unable. Mark understood. She missed her family, and suddenly it was back. Mark wished he felt the same about his.

Lyn turned back to the knights. "...Very well. I will accompany you to Caelin." Kent and Sain looked at eachother and smiled, before turning back to Lyn and bowing.

"We will see you there safely." Sain said. "We promise."

Lyn turned to Mark. "I know this is all very sudden. I hope you do not mind." Mark blinked.

"I'm coming along?" He asked. Lyn's face sank.

"Well… I figured you hadn't seen Lycia yet so I thought you would be alright with it. We can just travel on afterwards. I only want to meet him for now." Lyn faltered when she saw Mark's face. "You don't… have to…" She trailed off. Mark thought for a moment.

 _Should I?_ He thought. _No, I can't possibly. I'm trying not to draw attention to myself. This seems like a big deal. I doubt the people of Caelin are too happy about their marquess suddenly handing the region over to a Sacaen. I can't let anyone know where I am, I've been careful to avoid people following me and at this point I've lost them. I'm free! I can't get involved in any sort of event that people will be talking about. I should just give my blessings and go. Yes, that's the smart thing to do._

"Well when you're right you're right, I haven't seen Lycia. Guess I'll tag along!" Mark smiled. _THE HELL WAS THAT?_ He screamed internally. _WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO YOURSELF? WHY DID YOU…_ His mind trailed off. Lyn's face burst into a joyous smile and she gave him a hug.

"Thank you." She said simply. Mark looked down at the green hair just below his chin, his arms still up in the air from his reaction to her quick advance. Eventually he chuckled and returned the hug. _Oh._ He thought. _I guess that's why._ He and Lyn had just become friends. He was right before, he would be sad to see it go. To sad. So sad in fact, that he wasn't going to let it happen. He had maybe two friends around his age growing up. Lyn would be only the third. He learned something important that day. Try as he might, Mark would never make it as a loner. His journey and aimless travel was missing something before, and suddenly everything seemed natural. He would help Lyn to Caelin, and then they would continue their world traveling. Hell the knights could come too! They seemed like nice guys, he was sure they'd all get along. He was putting himself in danger, but by St. Elmine if it wasn't worth it.

* * *

The four traveled towards Caelin on horseback for the rest of the day. Lyn was riding with Kent, who was happy to be of service, and Mark rode with Sain. As they rode, Mark lost himself in his books, a stupid grin on his face. For the first time since leaving the manor, he was genuinely excited. Suddenly he felt like he had nothing to prove. He was just on an adventure with no goal or danger. That's what he always told himself, but now he really, truly felt it. The burdens of why he left and what his father had done no longer mattered. The world was huge, and though his father ruined a small portion of it for him, there was plenty left to see and explore.

Eventually night fell and the four got off the horses to make camp. Kent and Sain set to work getting a fire going as Lyn set up the tent. Mark sat with his hand ablaze, using it as a light source to continue reading his books which rested on his crossed legs. He felt like he was on the verge of something important in his research, but he just couldn't get it. Yet. Having finished setting up the tent, Lyn walked over next to him and sat down, staring at the sky.

"Thank you again Mark. It means a lot to me. Really."

"No trouble." Mark replied aimlessly. Lyn laughed.

"Of course it is. I can tell it pained you." She glanced at him. He shot her a look and closed his book.

"Yes, well, regardless I agreed right? So it can't be so bad to be a _real_ problem. Don't worry about it." He wished that he truly felt that way. Yes, he said it was worth it, but that doesn't mean that there would be no repercussions. He had to be careful. But still, he's the one who agreed to come along.

Lyn rose up again and yawned. "Well, you have a point. But still, if you ever need to talk about it or something, don't hesitate. We're friends right?"

"...Yeah. We are." Mark said. And with that, Lyn walked into her tent.

"Ah, there you are." Mark looked up to see Kent walking towards him. "I've been meaning to speak with you. I'd like to get to know you better." He held up the carcass of some animal. "Dinner?" He offered. Mark nodded in appreciation and put away his books. Sain followed Kent and set up the firewood, removing the grass around it so as not to start a fire. When he finished he looked at Mark.

"Mind doing the rest?" He said. Mark raised a hand, lit it on fire, and touched the wood. Soon the fire spread and there was a warmth cutting through the cool night air. "Ah _perfect_." Sain said, falling into a laying position and putting his hands behind his head. "I've been waiting for this all day." He smiled contentedly and quickly passed out.

Kent shook his head. "Oh Sain, you fool of a knight. I'll never fully understand your attitude." He turned to Mark. "Don't be confused, I'm very glad he is my friend and my fellow knight, I just wish sometimes he would be more… knightly, I suppose."

Mark shrugged. "It's just who he is. Can't change that easily." Kent nodded.

"Sage advice." He leaned back. "I thank you for the time you spent with the lady Lyndis. She was telling me on our horse how you helped her deal with some bandits after she saved your life. I am grateful." Kent looked at him.

"I just did what anyone would do."

"But you had the skill to pull through. Your tactics in the battle today were rather smart as well. You placed a lot of trust in yourself and us both, and your assessment of our abilities were perfect. Your skills are better than perhaps even Caelin's own tacticians."

Mark laughed. "Surely you jest. I'm just any old tactician. I'm nothing special."

Kent shook his head. "I disagree. You acted quickly, with precision, and with skill. You obviously have experience. Where did you learn?" Mark stared at the fire. This was the exact question he hoped Kent wouldn't ask.

"...Etruria." He said plainly. He hoped Kent would leave it at that.

He didn't. "Where in Etruria?" He asked. Mark could tell it was just innocent curiosity. It still upset him.

"...Etruria." Mark repeated softly.

Kent picked up on the hint. "I see." He said solemnly. "I won't pry. It clearly bothers you. Please, forgive me. I simply wish to know you better."

Mark sighed. "Eh, don't worry about it. It's getting late. Do we have a plan for tomorrow?"

Kent nodded. "Yes. Lady Lyndis has requested that we stop at a shrine east of here. There is supposedly a sword there that Sacaen people pray to when they travel."

Mark nodded. "I've read about that I believe. The Mani Katti, correct?" Kent nodded. "Alright. Well, I plan to return to my reading for the night. I hope you understand."

Kent stood up. "Of course. Good night Mark. I thank you again."

Mark yawned. "Yes, no problem at all. I look forward to continuing our friendship." Kent paused. "...What?" Mark said.

Kent shook his head. "Nothing it's just… you sounded a lot more formal when you said that." Mark blushed and looked down.

"Y-yeah I'm… working on it." He said. Kent nodded and layed down a little ways from Sain. Soon enough, he too passed out.

* * *

When Mark woke up, he immediately regretted his decision to read until the sun began to rise. As he painfully blinked the light from his vision he saw that most of camp had already been taken down, and they would probably be leaving within a few minutes. He slowly sat up from the ground, feeling a book slide off his chest into his lap. He yawned, stretched, and stood up.

"Morning." Mark said to no one in particular.

"It's midday." Kent said, packing his sleeping roll onto his horse."

Mark blinked at the sky until he made out the sun's position. "Ah. So it is." He stated plainly. He picked up his pack and sleepily put away his books. Sain jogged up to him and handed him another book.

"Whats this?" Mark asked, taking the book into his hands.

"It's yours. You threw it at me at some point to keep me from mumbling in my sleep." He said jovially.

Mark soon recognized the book and pocketed it into his pack. "Thank you. Sorry if I hit you." He said.

Sain waved a hand dismissively. "Ah don't worry about it. You missed."

Mark nodded. "Alright so when are we leaving?" He said.

Kent looked in the distance. "Lady Lyndis says that the shrine is only a short distance on horseback from here. We can leave any time we wish." Mark thought about it for a moment.

"Where is she anyways?" He asked. He hadn't seen her yet.

"Over here!" He heard her call to his right. She was a little ways away, waving at him. She was standing on a slightly hilled area, and looking eastward. "Just checking out the path to the shrine. It looks clear!" She started walking back towards Mark. Mark double checked to make sure he had everything he came with. Once he was sure he did, he hopped on the back of Sain's horse, opened up a book, and entered his own zone.

When the group arrived at the shrine, everything seemed normal. A few guards with axes patrolled the front side of the shrine, which from the way they were approaching was to their right, and all and all everything seemed peaceful. The structure had no roof, just three walls on either side and the back. Mark awed at the simplicity in the building's structure, thinking about how the dull brown of the brick contrasted against both the grass and the blue sky. Mark thought about sketching it into a notebook, but eventually decided it wasn't worth it. To his right, Kent slowed down his horse and allowed Lyn to descend. Mark did the same. Stretching from hunched over his books, he noticed a small little group of huts a little ways away. An unusual hill formation was blocking the horses from travelling to the front, so it looked like Lyn was going to travel on foot. Mark noted these hills as a sign they were getting closer to Lycia, and exiting the plains.

"This will only take a few minutes. I will return shortly." Lyn said to the knights. They nodded and looked around from atop their mounts. The sun rested a little ways off the middle of the sky and beat down hard. Mark fanned himself with a book. He glanced at the shrine entrance. A woman was talking with Lyn, who hadn't quite reached the front yet. The woman seemed panicked, using a lot of hand gestures and pointing at the armed guards in front. After a little while, the woman started running over towards Mark and the knights, and Lyn drew her sword and started for the entrance.

"Hey…" Mark said to the knights on either side of him. "Can either of you two see what's happening over there? I've been reading for too long my eyes haven't adjusted to the distance yet."

Sain looked at him. "Sorry, I havn't really been paying attention. There's a woman running over her, you see, so I had my mind on… other matters." He chuckled to himself like he was the funniest man in the world.

Kent remained silent. He squinted towards the entrance of the shrine. Lyn was waiting behind a wall, sword drawn. Suddenly she burst forth and cut down one of the guards. Kent's eyes went wide.

"It's a battle!" He cried, galloping towards the hills.

"H-hey wait!" Sain said, following him quickly. Mark didn't get the chance to call out that their horses couldn't travel over those hills, so he started sprinting after them. His mind raced. It was possible that he would be the only one able to help, if he could cross the hills on foot, which he could. The knights could dismount, but they've obviously been trained on horseback. It would be counter productive to have more people fighting who don't really know what they're doing on foot. No, better they stay out of it. They'd need a way over the wall, or they'd have to go all the way around, which would take way too long. Mark slowed down as he neared the wall. He inspected it closer.

 _Hmm._ He thought, feeling the cool brick. Part of it crumbled at the slightest touch. _Perhaps not_ over _the wall…_ He stopped himself. He couldn't bust down the wall to a sacred shrine. He'd get in a lot of trouble for something like that. He heard cries from inside the shrine as Lyn cut down person after person.

"I won't let you have it!" She cried. Mark wondered what she was referring to. Did someone steal from her? The shrine? Kent and Sain rode up to Mark.

"We can't get over those hills, the horses refuse to go. You're the only one who can help her!" shouted Kent. Mark closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall. Brick crumbled into his hair. He straightened up, ran a hand through his hair to get rid of the brick, and pulled out his sword.

"I'm not actually." Mark said. He raised his sword and struck at the wall at one of it's weaker points. He stepped back. The wall slowly untangled itself, bits and pieces falling until a giant doorway was made from it. Mark casually walked through, the knights behind him. All the fighting inside had stopped. Lyn was dueling with five people, all frozen from shock, but the biggest threat was a rugged looking man with a wicked looking sword. He and Lyn currently had swords crossed, but right now all eyes were on him.

"Mark?" Lyn said calmly.

"Yes?"

"Did you just destroy a part of the shrine that houses the Mani Katti?"

"Yes I did."

Lyn looked at him in a mix of shock and displeasure, but eventually shook her head.

"Ok, I'm sure you have your reasons for such drastic measures. As long as you're here, help me out!" She started dueling with the swordsman again. The knights drew their swords and charged the grouped up axemen.

"No!" Mark said to the knights, retreating them.

"What is it?" Asked Sain, looking around for the supposed danger Mark inferred was there.

Mark placed a hand on Sain's horse and pointed with the other. "It would be better if you fought those guys instead. They're closer to Lyn, and she can't fight multiple people when fighting someone like that." He gestured to Lyn's opponent. "I'll deal with the axemen. Fight defensive! Patrol around Lyn!" The knights shouted in agreement and charged to aid Lyn. Mark slowly turned to the small group of axemen still near the entrance. His sword and tome drawn, he started walking towards them. "And as for you guys…" He muttered to himself.

As soon as they saw him coming they started to charge at him. He touched the wall closest to him, scorching a small symbol into the wall. He ran across the room. The brigands were getting closer, but the direction change gave Mark the time he needed. When he made it to the other side of the room, he scorched the same mark into that wall. Then, he dashed towards the center of the shrine. Once there, he turned towards his foes, out of breathe from his sprint. They all stared at him menacingly. One by one, they formed a line in front of him. They stood like this for a little while. One against four.

"What's it gonna be lad?" One of them growled. "You can drop your sword and let us through to kill the wench, or you can be _cut_ through so that we can kill the wench. Your call. Be smart."

Mark faked thinking about it. "Hmm. Be smart eh?" He chuckled. "I'm not the brightest. I think I'll let you cut through me." He threw down his sword, and after taking one last look at the spell he prepared, threw down his tome. "In fact, land a cut on me and win a prize!" He said happily, extending his arms wide in invitation.

"Your funeral." shouted one of the brigands. Together the four of them charged. Mark smiled and brought his hands together from their outward position into a clap. He mumbled the incantation to himself. From both the symbols he burned into the wall, a brilliant blue flame burst forth, making a beam of fire. The brigands screamed in agony as they fell to the ground, rolling to desperately put out the flames, but they were magic. It wasn't that simple. Mark looked on with a somber look on his face. He was happy his plan worked, for sure. This was the only part he hated. Fire magic wasn't honorable, but damn if it wasn't pretty. _Force yourself to watch._ He heard his father say. _Think about what you are capable of doing. This is not the work of a normal man. This is not how I want you to live your live. But if you find yourself in a situation like the one that I was just in._ His father had gestured to the pile of charred corpses. Mark compared them to the pile he just made. He spoke his fathers next words in unison with his memory. _Then do not hesitate. Let them burn in hell._

 **A/N Matt: Something interesting I thought I'd do since Mark is fighting with the army this time around:**

 **Mark: Tactician. Lv. 2**

 **HP: 18**

 **Str/Mag: 6**

 **Skl: 8**

 **Spd: 8**

 **Lck: 7**

 **Def: 4**

 **Res: 3**

 **Growths:**

 **HP: 80%**

 **Str/Mag: 50%**

 **Skl: 40%**

 **Spd: 40%**

 **Lck: 50%**

 **Def: 45%**

 **Res: 60%**

 **It just seemed like a fun thing to do. Any time Mark levels up, his stats will be updated, but this is the only time I'm showing his growth rates, which are pretty solid imo. Definitely a mage killer. Hmm. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed.**


	4. A burden, and a flirt

Mark snapped back to reality in time to turn off the fires before they burned anything else. Behind him, he heard the sounds of blades clashing. Turning around he glimpsed the final blow. While the enemy swordsman had his focus on Lyn, Kent had casually trotted up behind him and stuck him with a lance. The look on the swordsman's face was priceless. Confusion, shock, a hint of pain. Mark walked over to the scene. Lyn was panting heavily, having killed several people in a manner of minutes, scaring off plenty more. Kent and Sain had done a nice job with the enemies that Mark told them to fight, as they were all huddled against the wall, weapons taken away and hands bound. Kent removed the swordsman from his lance and began to clean it.

"You could have come to tell us that we were needed, you know?" Mark said to Lyn.

Lyn shook her head. "No, there was no time. Besides, I couldn't help myself. I couldn't let them get away with this."

Mark sighed. "Yeah, ok. I'll start cleaning up." Mark started walking back towards his pile of victims. "Oh, also, I'm sorry about the wall. Couldn't be helped." As mark started dragging bodies out of the shrine, Lyn and the knights went to talk to the head of the shrine that they had rescued.

 _I really destroyed these poor men._ Mark thought. _I should look into less… drawn out means of death._ It was the right thing for the situation though, and he knew it. It was the fastest way to get rid of all of them at the same time, but if he had more time he might have done more to make their ends less… like that. Or if he had some people to defend him, but they had their own fights at the time. As he was finishing up dragging the last body outside, a sudden flash of light happened from the shrine, followed by a surprised yelp.

As the light faded, Mark cracked his eyes open to see Lyn holding a deadly looking blade. He could make it out clearly, Mark saw that it's design allowed it to cut through heavy armor easily. It's length would provide help against mounted units as well. It was ornate, almost sacred looking. Then he remembered where he had seen it, sketched in a book he had read about Sacae's history. The Mani Katti. It certainly lived up to it's status.

Lyn turned to the priestly looking man wide eyed and asked something that Mark couldn't make out. He jogged over to investigate.

"...has chosen it's wielder!" he heard the high priest say as he approached.

Lyn processed this and looked back at the sword, almost in fear. It's pale glow seemed to call her down somewhat. "I-I don't know if I'm worthy of this… This is the sacred blade after all, if I take it with me how are the people of Sacae going to pray to it when…" Lyn trailed off as the priest shook his head and waved his hands no.

"The Mani Katti has a mind of it's own, and it has made it's own decision. To deny it would be to deny the very thing you are saying you want to preserve." Unsurprisingly, this made Lyn pale slightly, but she stared at the sword with new determination.

"Thank you." Lyn said, bowing slightly. "I will use it well, I swear it." The priest gave her a small blessing and started to wander around the shrine, setting things back into place with a few other locals.

"Excellently done, Lady Lyndis." Kent said formally, placing a hand on his chest and bowing toward her. "I would expect nothing less from you. Rest assured, at least in my eyes, you are truly worthy of the blade."

Before Lyn got the chance to respond Sain ran up and put an arm around her. "Lady Lyndis the glow of that blade truly brings out the color in your eyes! I know you are destined to be a pair." He faked a sniffle. "Alas, it seems my spot has been taken."

"Sain." Kent said softly, but sharply.

Sain whimpered slightly and whispered. "I hope you two are happy together." He retracted his arm and skipped away, wiping fake tears. Lyn took it in stride, laughing as Kent went to reprimand his partner. Mark walked up to her as she finished laughing.

"We've found some fun travelling companions, haven't we Mark?" She said, turning to face him, new sword still gleaming in hand. She looked more lively with the blade, more so than when she held her normal sword. Mark made note of this. As his knightly friends had said, she was fit to wield it.

Mark cracked a smile. "We sure do. Makes me wonder why I didn't bring a friend of mine along in my journey. Perhaps I really was just being stubborn when I left."

Lyn looked at him curiously. "I don't mean to pry about your journey, I know it's personal to you, but what was your friend's name?"

Mark shrugged. "Eh… Doesn't matter."

"Sure it does." Lyn insisted. "I want to get to know you better, we hardly know anything about you."

"Yes, I know, but…" Mark looked to the side and sighed. "It doesn't matter. Really. He's a boring sort anyways."

Lyn laughed at this. "Well, ok, but keep dodging simple questions like this and you might just be "the boring sort" as well." They both got a good laugh out of this, and the knights came back.

"Aw, what did we miss?" Sain said poutily. "We leave for one minute and suddenly this hall is filled with laughter."

"I'll admit, I am also curious." Kent tossed in.

Lyn giggled to herself. "Oh nothing. Mark's just being Mark."

"...Just being Mark?" Mark said flatly. Lyn smiled at him knowingly and looked at the knights.

"Well, what do you think? How far away is Caelin now?"

Kent thought for a moment. "I would say at least a week, perhaps a week and a half. Considering, of course, if we have no more distractions like this, not that I mean to disrespect your decision, Lady Lyndis."

Lyn nodded sagely. "Very well, let's continue on." After stepping outside the shrine, over the bodies of the bandits, they all got on the two horses, this time with Mark accompanying Kent and Lyn riding with Sain (who was all too overjoyed at the prospect), and together they set off again. As Mark read his book, his mind began to wonder. He wondered why he couldn't bring himself say his friend's name to Lyn. After all there was no harm in a name. Was it a wish to remain somewhat mysterious? If so, why? Did he not fully trust these people yet? There was no reason not to and he knew it. Yet, he still felt distant. He wondered why. Eventually, he just stopped thinking about it. It saddened him. With his mind buried, he ended up falling asleep, closing his book and placing it in his coat just before passing out.

* * *

When he did manage to wake up again, he felt somewhat better about it, but still not good. His eyes sleepily opened to a campfire, two knights and a noble lady sitting, laughing, roasting a bird one had killed. The scenery was no longer an endless field of grass, but a mountainside, only one in a whole range. Mark yawned and rolled off the horse. He found a suitable stone and began to read it. This one proposed the theory that magic is a form of emotion. It argues that magic only becomes powerful with powerful emotion. One cannot cast Meteor without feeling a strong desire to do so. Mark saw what it was trying to say, but it was already a false theory. The simplest form of counter argument was that, if all that was needed was emotion, training wouldn't be as necessary. In order to wield magic one needed to train. Still, the theory really appealed to Mark. He wished it was how magic truly worked. Suddenly a shadow appeared over him. His eyes rose up to see Sain's lopsided smile.

"Is that all you _ever_ do?" He asked, gesturing to the book. Mark didn't answer. He didn't know how. Sain took his silence as an opportunity to plop down next to him on the rock. Mark looked at the campfire to see that both Kent and Lyn had fallen asleep. Mark wasn't tired due to his nap on Sain's horse. Sain showed no signs of being tired. Mark sighed and closed his book.

"Funny to hear that coming from you." Mark retorted.

Sain tilted his head to the side. "How do you mean?"

"Well, from what I've gathered, you know how to flirt and to stick people with a lance, and… that seems to be about it really." Mark said bluntly. Sain actually responded by laughing.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a simple man. I need only a few things to be great at, and the right person will come along. I know it." He said.

"Then why do you flirt with every woman you meet."

"How else would the right person know I exist unless I tell them? And who knows who it could be?" Sain turned to Mark and smiled excitedly. "Isn't the thought just so exciting?!"

His enthusiasm was so incredibly true and heartfelt that Mark almost began to wish he was that special someone. Afterall, people as honest and straightforward as Sain seemed to be where far and few between. "Well I suppose so." Mark said, leaning back and looking at the sky.

"Glad you agree." Sain said, also leaning back. "The stars are truly beautiful tonight. I used to watch the stars like this with my sister. Our house was more country-side, so we were never blocked by city light." Mark considered this. He'd known of the stars his whole life, of course, but he lived in a city all of his childhood. The first time he saw the stars was the night he left.

"You have a sister?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, I do, a little sister. Her name is Emily. She's just the sweetest little thing in the world." Sain chuckled. "One time, we were trying to pick some apples and accidently knocked over a beehive. Scared our parents half to death when we walked into the house that day. Our faces were all blotched from the stinging after all. They thought we got into some sort of scrap. What about you? Do you have any sisters?"

"...Two. One older one younger." Mark said quietly.

"What are their names?" Sain said excitedly. Mark hesitated. This is exactly what he couldn't bring himself to do with his best friend earlier. How could he give up the names of his sisters? But it bothered him, it bothered him that he couldn't bring himself to tell Lyn a simple name, it bothered him that he didn't trust these people, it bothered him the way Lyn said 'Mark being Mark', but most of all it bothered him that it bothered him. He steeled himself. Sain was just so true in his conversation-making that Mark felt safe to reveal himself a bit more than he felt he could to the others. Maybe he and Sain could become good friends after all.

"The little sister's name is Cecilia." Mark said smiling. He felt like a great weight had just been lifted.

"What a cute name!" Sain said. "And the older one?"

"...Ursula." He said. "She and I always got along better than we ever did with Cecilia. She usually spends more time with mother than father so… we usually don't see her very much."

"... I'm sorry to hear that." Sain said. He seemed truly broken up about it. "At least you got to spend time with her right?"

Mark nodded. "I know. We've always had a great connection to each other. One time, when we were practicing magic with father, we accidently set his beard on fire…" Mark trailed off. He gulped. "And we… that it we- no, sorry, he decided it would be best t-to uhm…" He blinked to stop a tear. "To uh… cancel the rest of the lessons for the day." Not untrue. "He was really mad, as y-you can imagine." When Mark looked at Sain, he was looking at him concerned. Mark sniffed. "Wh-what? It's just kind've cold."

Sain nodded sagely. "Ah, that explains it. Afterall, it sounds like such a fond memory for you. It's hard to imagine you would be sad after such time with your loved ones." Mark nodded.

"Yes I suppose so." Mark confirmed. He felt Sain's hand slap him lightly on the back.

"Well, I feel like we know each other a lot better now. Doesn't it feel good?" Sain said happily.

Mark smiled at him. "...yeah, I guess I do. Thank you Sain. You're a kind soul." Sain yawned.

"Well, it's been a long day. I'm afraid I have to get some sleep. You should do the same. But I must say, I may be too excited to fall asleep. Afterall, tomorrow will be quite fun."

"What happening tomorrow?" Mark asked.

"Tomorrow, dearest Mark," Sain said, "Lady Lyndis will owe me a gold coin."

Mark's eyebrows creased in confusion. "Why…?"

Sain smiled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We made a bet to see who could make you open up a little first. Looks like I win." Surprisingly, Mark wasn't even mad. He chuckled. He laughed. He began to bellow even. The situation made him realize just how much of a pompous as he was really being. It was one thing to call someone a friend. It was another to treat them like one. Despite his clear shortcomings in many areas, Sain was a smart guy. Mark stuck out a hand for a handshake and Sain took it eagerly.

"Not bad Sain." He said smiling. "Not bad at all."

Sain retreated to his cot and Mark continued to look at the sky. _Ursula._ He thought. _I should have insisted you come with me. I know why you didn't but…_ Mark shook his head. _I was just so caught up in making a statement on one of the occasions where mom was actually there. It was a spur of the moment decision, but I don't regret it. I hope you can forgive me._ With that final thought in his mind, he drifted off to sleep just as the sky began to brighten with a new day. In this moment, Mark's worries melted away as though they were never there. His conversation with Sain had inspired him, and he swore he would be open with his new friends. Well, about things of no consequence, at least.

 **A/N- Matt: hhhhhoooooooooook I did it, it's here, I'm sorry it took so long, but here we are. It was almost done by the end of July and then I went on vacation and then I started getting ready for school and then I actually GOT to school so I mean you get the gist. In that time though, I ironed out a few things long term for this story, some of which I've already begun to elaborate on, as you can see in this chapter. There are still plenty more connections Mark has throughout Elibe however, many of which have not even had a hint of mention yet so stay tuned. I hope you enjoyed, and as always, thanks for stoppin in and takin the time to read. If I'm optimistic, I'd hope to get another chapter out by the end of the month. For now it's 4 AM. Toodles.**


	5. The origin of Lyndis's Legion

When Mark woke up, the campsite was all tidied up and organized. The horses were waiting patiently as their owners were in the middle of an argument about who Lyn should ride with. Lyn sat on a rock, observing it all, gazing out at the now distant plains. Mark stretched, hearing a few cracks in his arms and back from the hard place he slept. He yawned, scratched his shoulder, and felt around his coat for a book.

"Where are we heading today?" He said sleepily, lazily turning some pages, trying to find where he stopped.

"Further south." Lyn said as Kent and Sain seemed to finally reach an agreement. They walked over.

"Well, shall we press on?" Kent said, holding out an arm for Lyn to take so he could lead her to his horse. Lyn giggled and took it.

"So you won the argument did you?" She joked as the moved towards the mounts. Sain looked pained at Mark. Mark faked a scoff.

"And here I thought we bonded last night, and now you won't even ride with me." Mark said sadly, letting his head hang low and shuffling rather than walking. Sain jogged up to him concerned.

"We did bond! It was a wonderful conversation! But have you SEEN Lady Lyndis?" Mark ignored him and hopped onto his horse. He smiled to himself as he turned the pages of his book, pretending to ignore his friend. Sain whimpered and reluctantly hopped onto his steed, gazing longingly at Lyn as she and Kent started to gallop away.

"Well I'll just have to deal with it I suppose." Sain said sadly and together they all took off.

"So, do we have any idea when we will stop next?" Mark said over the wind now rushing past their ears. Sain thought for a moment but shook his head.

"I remember Kent saying something about a village down the line but for the life of me I have no idea which one. Either way, we need to get through this mountain range, and that will probably take up most of the day." Mark nodded at this and continued with his studies. This time it was a book of war strategies. The current situation was if you found yourself stuck in the middle of an attack from both sides. With no long ranged infantry, and no escape route, how can you minimize casualties? From there it offers details as to the surrounding area, yours and your enemies supplies, etc. Mark thought hard about it, but there didn't seem to be _any_ good option. If he decided to hole up and defend his position, it was more than likely he would be overwhelmed. If he decided to rush one of the groups early so that the attack could only come from one side, it was plausible, but would take too long. The other army would approach them from the back before they could deal with the first.

* * *

As Mark continued to ponder this hypothetical situation, the group continued on for a large portion of the day until they came upon a ruined village. Mark looked up from his book in time to see broken houses, fencing, and a few bodies of men strewn around. There were no women or children to be seen. Likely taken back by the bandits who raided the village in the first place.

"This is awful…" Sain said, gazing over the ruined landscape as the group slowly trotted through. "To think this is what happened to Lady Lyndis mere months ago…" His expression turned a surprisingly serious tone. "I cannot stand this sort of behavior. It shall never affect milady again." He left it at that. Mark pondered for a moment. _I suppose cities have their perks…_ he thought, thinking of his own childhood. He happened to glance at Lyn. She had a steely expression that Mark had only seen on her when she described the attack that ripped her world apart. It clearly bothered her to be in this place. For her sake, Mark hoped they got through the area quickly. They continued in silence for a few more minutes before they heard a high pitched shriek.

"What was that?" Sain said, looking around and stopping his horse. Mark dismounted and closed his eyes, listening carefully. He heard a quiet argument towards the town center.

"There's a lot of yelling coming from the center of town. Should we investigate?" He asked the other three.

"Of course." Lyn said. "If there are survivors of this act we need to help them!" She hopped off Kent's horse as the other knights nodded in agreement. "How shall we approach them Mark?" She asked him. Mark surveyed the area briefly.

"Kent, Sain, you two circle around toward the scene from the way we came. It should take you roughly five minutes or so if you start now, so go." The knights agreed and started a gallop in the direction the group had come from. "Lyn." Mark said turning to her. She stood at the ready. "You will follow behind me in the same direction, keeping a distance. I am the least threatening looking of our group, so if I approach first they should let down they guard. When that happens, I'll give one of two signals." He lit his hand on fire. "This means attack." He put out the fire and crossed his fingers. "This means come out, everything is fine." Lyn nodded.

"Be careful. If you feel in danger I'll be there as soon as you give the signal, but I trust your judgement." Mark nodded at this and started running towards the center. They were there within two minutes. Lyn hid behind a wall as Mark approached the situation.

"Hell no!" A gruff looking man yelled as a rather innocent looking girl. Two of his buddies held her by the wrist and the forearm. She was a somewhat frail looking thing with light purple hair and light armor. A pegasus in matching armor was standing with its wings bent and it's head down, looking ashamed. All the rider's weapons and items were still with the pegasus, meaning she was unarmed.

"Hello gentleman." Mark said, hands in the air. The brigands turned and sized him up.

"...The hell are you?" They asked.

Mark shrugged. "Just a normal person, all things considered. What about you?" He eyed them all carefully. The two holding the girl didn't seem so bad but the big bad boss seemed like a real warrior.

"Just normal guys, all things considered." He said, mocking Mark's mannerisms and speech. Mark restrained himself from immediately giving the signal to attack. Rudeness doesn't constitute potential murder.

"Alright…" Mark said cautiously. "Maybe you could just let the girl go then?"

"Not a chance kid. Not until she apologizes for the shiner on me pal's face." He gestured to one of the goons holding the frail girl, who was developing a black eye.

Mark turned to the girl. "Did you apologize?" He asked. Before he got an answer, he saw a blur race past him and stab one of the people holding the girl. Mark blinked a few times in surprise. Lyn stood up and pointed a sword at the other captor, who promptly dropped the girl and ran towards his boss.

"Lyyyyyyyyynnnnnnn" The girl sobbed from the ground, rubbing tears from her eyes. "I-I thought you were d-d-dead!" She rose up and hugged Lyn, but Lyn retained a steely gaze at the two remaining men.

"Let her go." Lyn said. Mark slumped over a little at how rapidly the situation was already out of his control. He'd talk to her about it later. For now he just leaned against the nearest wall, crossed his arms, and witnessed the scene in front of him.

"I think not." The bigger one said, pulling out a wicked looking axe. Rust covered half of it. Mark shuddered at the possibilities of the diseases one could get from a slight cut. "Do you know how much a pegasus can sell for? We're tryna run a business here you know."

"Thievery isn't a business, fiend!" Sain yelled as he and Kent entered the scene behind the brigands. The two looked back and forth between them and then the smaller one turned to Mark.

"Can I kill that one?" He asked, wide eyed holding an axe. "He pisses me off with how he's just standin' there. I bet he's the one who's behind all of this." The boss gave a grin. He also gave a whistle.  
"Eh, knock yourself out." The boss said. The grunt charged Mark. "Alright boys, "Have at em. Don't kill the girls, but the knights and the pretty boy are fair game."

 _Insults are not just reason for murder, insults are not just reason for murder…_ Mark repeated to himself over and over again as he pulled out his fire tome for his oncoming attacker. _But damn it's tempting._ Mark chanted a spell and created a giant pillar of flame in front of him. When he extinguished it, he stared down the bandit. He was on his back, scurrying away. He finally got to his feet and ran off, leaving his weapon, and perhaps his dignity, behind. When Mark looked back at the scene, the boss was nowhere to be seen, but several grunts were attacking his friends, who were winning easily. Kent and Sain fought in great coordinance, meanwhile Lyn was dueling three separate guys like it was a absolutely nothing. However, the purple haired girl was trying to fight another grunt while using a very thin lance. He was overpowering her and her back was too the wall. The obvious choice of what to do next was right in front of Mark. He ran up to the scene and kicked the brigand in the side. He stumbled and swung blindly behind him. Mark set a hand on fire and grabbed the man's collar with the other hand. He held him up, since it was one of the smaller bandits, and held his flaming hand near his face.

"I'd leave." Mark said simply, maintaining eye contact. The bandit whimpered and nodded quickly. For good measure, Mark threw him back a few inches and let him scurry away. He turned to the girl, who was sitting against the wall with her knees against her chest. Mark smiled at her and offered a hand. "I'm sorry about all of this. Here, let me help you up and we can-" The girl shied away as his hand approached her. He retracted his hand. "Uh… sorry did I…?" He slowly offered his hand again. Again, the girl slowly moved away at the same pace. "Alright then." Mark said straightening up. He stepped back a few feet. "Is this better…?" He said.

The girl stood up and dusted herself off. She looked at him for a second, immediately looked away, and ran towards her pegasus. Mark sighed. He had no luck with these sorts of things huh? _Did I really just think that?_ He thought. _Maybe my conversation with Sain rubbed off on me more than I thought._ He'd never thought about who he'd spend his life with until Sain's impassioned speech the night before. _WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT THIS?_ He yelled internally. He watched as the girl mounted her pegasus, shot him one last look, and flew over head. _You're not travelling to find love Mark. Relax._ He let out a breath and jogged up to the others.

" _There_ you are." Lyn said, jogging up to him. "Thank's for saving Florina. The village is overrun with bandits, their boss ran North. Tell us what to do."

"Uhm…" a small voice said behind Mark. He turned. There was the girl. "Uhm… m-me too please. Direct me." She said. Mark blinked once or twice, but soon snapped out of it.

"Ok, right!" Mark said, holding up a hand. "Lyn, Kent, go and start to clear a path to their boss. Sain, you're gonna duel him. You have the largest reach with your lance, and his axe looks like it could give you something really bad should it cut you."

"I also use a lance sometimes." Kent offered, hand on chest. "Please, allow me."

"Sain is better with a lance Kent. I already told you what to do." Mark said flatly turning to Florina. Kent tried his best not to look disheartened as Sain smiled smugly.

"Florina?" Mark said. She flinched but nodded meekly. Her cheeks were a light crimson. Her hairband looked really nice on her, and her hair fell in such a way that- _MARK. STOP._ He thought. He shook his head and looked back up. "Fly overhead and see if anyone in this village is still here. We don't want them caught up in the fighting, ok? Get them to safety." She nodded and flew up.

"What are you going to do, Mark?" Sain asked him. Mark thought about it.

"For now I'm going to check nearby houses in case people are here. Once I've established there's no one here, I'll provide a backline for Lyn and Kent in case bandits start surrounding them. Remember, we don't know just how many of them there are, and they seem organized. The small one's shouldn't be a problem, but their leader…" Mark shook his head. "Be careful Sain. Don't get cut, at any cost."

"Of course." Sain said. "After all, I am a knight among knights, even the slightest cut would be-"

"Sain." Mark said. "Im serious." Sain stopped his speech and gave Mark a knowing look.

"I promise, I'll be fine." He said. Mark nodded. They all rode off and Mark began to check nearby houses. _I wonder why she shied away from me like that. Do I look that bad? Maybe I just scared her with the way I scared off her attacker. Yes that must be it and GODS WHAT AM I DOING._ He stopped and slapped himself. _This is a FIGHT_. He thought. _Focus._ He took a breath or two, or several, or over a hundred until his heart stopped beating like a drum.

"Um…" He heard a voice behind him. He turned, lighting his hand on fire. Before him stood a man with a bow strapped over his shoulder, both hands in the air in a non threatening manner. He had brown hair, and was wearing simple clothing native to Lycia.

Mark extinguished his hand. "Hello. Sorry. Was in thought. You surprised me."

"I didn't mean to startle you…"

"No no no, really, i-it's my fault. Do you need something?"

The man put his arms at his side and bowed slightly. "My name is Wil. I saw you were fighting the bandits here, and I wanted to offer my help." They stood there in silence for a moment. "Er… May I? Help, that is?"

"Sure, sure, sorry, I spaced out again." Mark turned towards a nearby window. There were several buildings in the surrounding area. "Ok, follow me." He ran out of the building running into the streets towards his friends. He quickly surveyed and pointed to a nearby building. "Here." He said to Wil, out of breath. "Climb. Rain hell."

Wil smiled. "Hey, alright. I can do that. What are your guys like so I don't shoot them."

"Two knights, one red one green, a woman of Sacaen decent and one pegasus knight. She should be the only one in the sky. Everyone else is fair game."

"Alright. I didn't catch your name."

Mark extended a hand. "Mark, travelling tactician and general oddity. A pleasure."

Wil took the hand in his own and shook it. Without another word he started climbing up the nearby building.

* * *

Mark finally caught up with Lyn and Kent, who had just finished up their fighting. Mark jogged up completely out of breath as Florina landed nearby. Everyone with the exception of Wil and Sain was assembled.

"We think that's all of them." Lyn said, also out of breath. "What's the plan?"

Mark gasped a breath. "Help… Sain. Where is he?"

Kent shook his head. "He hasn't returned. He went Northward when the leader ran away."

"Why… did you let him…" Mark said pantingly.

"I couldn't stop him, we were still fighting our own enemies." Kent continued. He held a sword up and against his chest in salute. "Let us go after him and offer support." Mark nodded.

"Let us on the mounts, we'll get there faster." Mark said, getting onto Kent's horse. Lyn ran onto Florina's pegasus, which made Mark slightly jealous, but he also guess he wouldn't be allowed on it. Florina seemed to have an aversion to him. He dwelled on it in the moment in order to sober up for the coming fight. He had a deep pit in his stomach. If Sain was in trouble, it would be all his fault. Maybe he should've accepted Kent's offer.

Together they rode until they finally came into a clearing where a dismounted Sain was going head to head against the leader with a lance.

"You just won't quit will ya?" The man said, swinging his axe down with deadly speed. Sain, just as quick, dodged swiftly and thrusted at the man. It struck his arm, but he merely shrugged it off. Mark pulled out his tome and made a quick fireball in his hand.

"Sain, duck!" he yelled, sending it right at Sain's head. Sain didn't even look behind and obliged. The fire hit the bandit's leg, setting his pant leg on fire. Without even reacting, the bandit ripped the pants at the knee and threw the flaming scraps aside.

"You need backup eh you filthy knight?" He said, staring Sain down. "How chivalrous." He said, sarcasm dripping from his words. This clearly bothered Sain. He grinned, but there was a hint of rage in him.

"You're Taliver bandits right?" Sain said.

"Maybe we is." The leader said mockingly. "You ain't gonna live long enough to find out." They charged eachother again.

"Sain!" Kent yelled, his usual calm demeanor gone. "Stop, fall back and let us help!"

"Never!" Sain said determined. "This is them Kent! These are the ones! They killed our lady's parents and friends! They're the ones who left her all alone in this world! As a knight of Caelin, I will not let them get away with it!" He charged the warrior.

"Sain, stop!" Mark yelled. Sain dodged another axe strike and swung his lance again to no avail. "SAIN, I AM YOUR TACTICIAN, FALL BACK!" Mark shouted, more desperate this time. He panted heavily in the stress. Sain was at a clear disadvantage now that he was off his mount. His biggest advantage was how he would out range the boss. It would be trouble if he even took a small scratch from that horrid looking weapon. Mark hopped off the horse and started running towards the scene, just as the axe entered Sain's side with a sickening "thunk". Sain cried out in pain, but grabbed the axe by the handle. He smiled as sweat dropped down his brow. He grit his teeth.

"You are everything… I despise…" Sain said. The leader stared, wide eyed and slack jawed that Sain was still standing with an axe in his side. "And… Because of that… as a knight… as a man… I cannot allow you to live!" With these words, Sain raised his free arm, lance in hand, and brought it straight through the man's heart. Mark stared, dumbfounded, no longer able to move.

The man ripped the axe from Sain's side, which caused the latter to fall backwards. The bandit stumbled, but eventually found his footing and raised his axe. "You… scum…" He said. Mark couldn't move still. Everyone watched in shock as the bandit readied the axe. "I may die here… but the Ganelon bandits… will never forget this…!" He raised the axe.

"NO!" Kent shouted. "SAIN!" He said, showing more emotion in his face than Mark had ever seen. But he still couldn't move. _Sain is about to die._ Mark thought, as time seemed to slow. _And it's entirely my fault._ The axe began to fall, and just as it was about to sever Sain's face, an arrow settled into the forehead of the bandit. His motion stopped. He twitched, and fell backwards, dead. This snapped Mark to attention, and he turned to see Wil, in position, a little ways behind the rest. His expression was grim.

"Go, see how he is!" Wil shouted to Mark. Mark nodded and ran to Sain. His breath was shallow.

"Sain…" Mark said, hardly able to speak. Sain cracked his eyes open and looked at Mark.

"I thought… he was Taliver… I thought… he was why Lady… Lyndis… suffers."

"What are you talking about? What Taliver?"

"That is the name… of the bandits… who killed the Lorca…" Sain coughed a few times. Mark felt around his thick coat and pulled out a vulnerary.

"Here, drink up. It will seal the wound. You're not going to die." Mark said, putting the potion to Sain's mouth. Sain nodded and took it. Immediately his wound began to seal.

"That feels so much better." He said, his breath slowly getting better. Mark's heart beat slower, now that it was clear Sain was going to live. By now the rest had caught up.

"Sain, you're a damn fool!" Kent yelled at him, dismounting his horse. Sain rolled his eyes.

"Maybe, but fools at least make people laugh. Is that so bad?"

"No one is laughing." Wil said. "You seriously took a hit there. Will you be alright?" Sain nodded.

"Thanks to you. What is your name, new friend?"

"It's Wil. I've gathered your name is Sain. Well met." The exchanged hands.

"Sain, I know you're a loyal and sworn knight to me, but this is too much! Never endanger yourself like this again! At least let us help." Lyn knelt by him and clasped a hand into his.

"And yet, with a reward such as this!" Sain said, gesturing to their intertwined hands. "How could I not do so again in a heartbeat." Sain laughed at his own joke, and Lyn cracked a smile.

"Good to see you're already recovering." She said. Sain nodded and then frowned, looking at Lyn intently.

"Lady Lyndis. You plan to destroy the Taliver one day. You said as much last night." Lyn nodded.

"One day. I will wipe them off the face of this earth."

"When that day comes, please." Sain sat up, but immediately fell again. "Take me with you." Lyn remained silent. Kent knelt to her as well.

"Please, milady, take me as well." Lyn looked up, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I know you're loyal knights, I know that, but…" She shook her head. "I could never ask something so dangerous."

"You can refuse all you want." Sain said. "But we will still come. You cannot stop us."

Kent nodded at this. "It's true milady. I would do anything you say, but there are some things I simply cannot abide by. I would follow you to the ends of the earth and back again." Florina came up behind Lyn and tapped her shoulder.

"I'll come too!" She said, wearing a serious expression that was uncommon to her. "If they hurt you Lyn, I'll never forgive them! You're my best friend in the world. I can't stand to see you sad." Lyn looked at the three of them.

"You… I…" She closed her eyes and gripped Sain's hand harder.

"...Lyn." Mark said. She turned to him. "I…" suddenly, Florina wasn't on his mind. In fact, she was blasted away. As Mark saw the tears starting to form in Lyn's eyes, all words left him. He felt only anger, anger at the people who hurt the most honest, brave, and kind person he had ever met. He'd only known her for a few weeks now, but this little band of heroes was feeling more and more like a home than that shame of a mansion he grew up in ever felt like. Kneeling down, he pulled Lyn into a tight hug.

"Mark…?" Lyn said, choked up. He felt his shoulder start to get a little wet.

"Lyn." He said quietly to her. He debated what to say before he decided to ditch thought and speak his mind. "We say all of this because we believe in you. We trust you. But most importantly we do it because we want what would make you happiest. You've suffered enough for a lifetime, I'd say." He pulled her outward by the shoulders and smiled at her. She was smiling too, even though her face was red from crying. "So. We're gonna get you to Caelin, make you Marquess, and then whatever you need, you've got us." He gestured around to the others. "Lyndis's Legion will forever be at your beck and call."

Lyn was silent, and the began to laugh. "Lyndis's Legion?" She giggled. "Sounds… like fun." She said. Mark nodded and turned to Wil, who stood a little ways away.

"So how about it Wil. Want to join up?" Wil shifted standing and thought about it, twirling an arrow in his hand as he thought.

"Well… You guys are the only reason I was able to clear out these bandits for the people here. They were really nice to me when I was travelling, so to have avenged them is a huge weight off my shoulders. I don't have anywhere else to go so…" He smiled and bowed. "Consider my services to be added to Lyndis's Legion!" Mark smiled. _Two new friends._ He thought happily. _Who knew travelling would be this much of an adventure?_

 **AN: This is a long one, I think. Idk honestly. Felt long as I made it. To say I have time to make this is untrue. I'm taking on the most time consuming schedule I possibly could this semester. That being said… I don't like working sooooooo….. Yeah heres another chapter. I'd say there will be a few more before the year is out. I have no idea how many, or when, but it's gonna happen. I've got most of the major plot points I want plotted out already, and we're only just begun, so uh, strap in I guess. Should be fun. PS: Mark has leveled up, but I really don't feel like going back and editing his stats here so… if you care at all just give him plus 1 in: HP, Skill, Res. Cool? Cool. Till next time :D**


	6. Slipping away

As the wind blew through his hair, sending it straight back, Mark looked down and considered the scene far, far below him. Lyn was riding Sain's horse, with Wil on the back. They were talking and getting to know each other better. The scene would have made Mark smile if not that right next to them, Kent rode his steed with Sain gently slumped over the back. Soon after their touching moment creating Lyndis's Legion, they left again towards Caelin. The problem was that, very soon after departing, Sain began to feel incredibly ill. Mark thought immediately about the bandit's brutal axe, and how it was covered in rust. Likely never washed, Sain was probably running several horrible diseases in his bloodstream. Having the most medicinal knowledge of the group, Mark gave him basic treatment, but the supplies were limited, and Mark didn't know enough to give any sort of proper diagnosis. Sain insisted he was fine, moments before slipping into unconsciousness. Now unable to ride his horse, Lyn stopped riding with Florina in order to take the reins of Sain's mount. Florina initially refused to ride with anyone but Lyn, which Lyn explained was due to an extreme fear of men, but she was now left with little choice. Thus, Mark awkwardly sat on the back of a pegasus, purple hair fluttering into his face, trying his damndest not to blush like an idiot. When he initially got on, Florina briefly stammered out something that Mark couldn't hear before turning back to him with the beginnings of tears in her eyes and taking off. Since the wind was so strong, Mark was too nervous to pull anything out of his coat pockets in order to read and pass the time. If he dropped it that would be the end. And so, Mark simply sat there, hands gripping the saddle in order not to fall to his death, wishing he could just move forward a bit to have more stability, but every time he tried, the pegasus would buck him to the back again and shoot him a dirty look.

To take his mind off of the awkwardness of the situation, Mark spent more time looking down than forward. _Ok Mark._ He thought. _Normally, you'd read right now and take your mind off things but that's not going to happen this time. This time, you're going to make things better. Ok? You're going to talk to the pretty young lady sitting in front of you, and convince her that it's really not a big deal that the group is mostly men. A-and maybe, also, s-see if she wants t-t-t-to g-get some food together in the next town w-we stop at._ As Mark completed this thought he put a hand to his heart to see that it was, in fact, beating faster than it had in a long while. _Ok, easy there Mark._ He thought to himself. _When your own thoughts begin to stammer, that's not a good thing. That is a sign to NOT do whatever you just thought. Just… just let it be._ He closed his eyes and breathed in slowly… and then out slowly… then in… out… in… _She's incredibly attractive._ Mark's eyes shot open and he slapped himself, causing Florina to jump a little and whimper. Mark started to say something but stopped himself. _Dear gods you're an idiot._ He thought to himself disheartedly. To say that Mark had never had romantic feelings for someone on this level before would be untrue. There were many women in the court that caught his eye, two of which he had even been with for relatively long periods of time. But, as he grew up, he realized these things were merely more like children playing than actual heartfelt relations. Such was the way of life for people like him. The fact that true relations didn't exist… well, it was partly why he left.

Now thinking about home, Mark looked up to see a setting sun. The purple haired beauty in front, contrasting with the bright white pegasus, made an excellent foreground to the painting. Far, far below, his comrades, small as mere specks added tiny patches of collar to the mostly barren, brown landscape. Without realizing it, Mark began to tear up. Despite his rage, Mark still loved his father, and the biggest aspect he associated with him was his paintings. Mark's father had an eye for crafting exquisite masterpieces on his canvases, a talent Mark always wanted to inherit. As he felt a few drops fly off the sides of his face, he imagined taking a brush in his hand and began to paint. Just as he laid the first stroke, Florina began to descend. This shocked Mark to the present, and he quickly sniffled away and cleaned his eyes. By the time he was done, they were on the ground.

Everyone had already gathered around Sain. Kent had a hand on Sain's forehead, a grim expression on his face, all focus. Mark commended Kent's ability to stay calm, however. Truly, Kent was the definition of stoic. Lyn was similar. After her brief cry earlier in the day, she had a newfound sort of glow to her that Mark had never felt from her before. She stood taller, looked forward with more purpose, and held more of a confident air. Mark assumed it was because she no longer felt like she was alone in the world. He was glad he could offer that to her. As he said that, Florina ran past him, making his heart flip, and hid behind Lyn, staring at Sain sadly.

"H-He's not dead, right?" She asked meekly. Kent shook his head.

"No. Not yet. But he's certainly not… well, regardless, we should rest for the night." Saying this, Kent took his hand away from Sain and put it over his eyes, gazing out over the land. His gaze settled on an abandoned fort a little ways away. "There." he said, turning back to everyone, "That should provide sufficient shelter for the night. We will not reach another town until tomorrow evening. Mark, what are your orders?"

Mark blinked a few times and snapped to attention, pointing to himself. "I'm sorry, me? What do you want me to do?"

"Give orders for setting up camp." Kent repeated.

"Oh." Mark said. "Uhm… I'm more of a… battle tactician, I don't really have strategies for this sort of thing."

"Neither do we." Wil said, shrugging, "Which is why you're a better bet than any of us."

Kent nodded and elaborated, "When there were less of us this was unimportant. In addition, we had more supplies then. Now, however, with limited food and one man sick, direction would be appreciated."

Mark pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Ok, I think I've got a rudimentary plan. Lyn has the only tent so she and Florina will set it up in the ruins. Kent and Wil, you'll survey the perimeter and check around the area for rogues. While you're doing this, look for anything we can eat, berries, rabbits, whatever. I'll tend to Sain and try to keep him under control." Mark snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah, see if you can find me some plants I can use to maybe ease his pain too."

"What do they look like?" Wil asked.

"I'm not really, sure, but I'd recognize them if you brought them, so just bring anything that looks like it could be of use." Mark answered. Everyone nodded and went their separate ways. Mark placed Sain on his horse and guided it into the old ruins. At this point it was fully dark, so Mark raised a lit hand to see better. After finding a few large sticks and setting them up like torches in one of the forts inner rooms, Mark got to work on Sain. The wound on his side was sealed, but it had a nasty rash surrounding it. His veins were clearly visible, almost popping out of his flesh outward from the wound for a few inches. Mark's heart sank at the sight. Sain's forehead was burning up, so Mark sripped him from his armor and layed it beside him. Sain's jaw was clenched shut, his teeth grinding in the pain, his eyes closed tightly. Unsure entirely what to do, Mark pulled out a rare book of his that he usually would never use. It's rarity was great, and anytime a spell was used from it, that page would be destroyed. However if there was a time to use it, it was now. He flipped through it to find a good spell, raised his hand up and started to chat a spell under his breath. He slowly placed his hand on the wound as he finished. Soon, it was encased in ice. Steam rose off of it momentarily before finally, the ice won out and set. Since the veins were clearly visible, Mark saw the blood flow slow from the wound. As it did, the page from the book froze in his hands and shattered like glass, crashing to the floor. Hopefully, however, the ice would keep the diseases from spreading faster, he prayed.

"Excuse me." He heard a meek voice say behind him. He looked up immediately, his heart fluttering for a moment. The voice did not belong to who he hoped it might, however. Instead, a very plain looking woman was leaning against the wall, wearing clothes akin to lower class citizens and with long brown hair tied in a braid. She limped over to him.

"Who are you?" Mark asked cautiously, standing. "Did you do something to my friends? They should be outside."

The woman's eyes opened wide and she shook her head vehemently. "No, no, they let me in, I swear!" She held up her hands in surrender. "My name is Natalie. I'm from a village a long way away from here, near Bern. I am searching for my husband. Your friends say you travel around a lot. Have you seen him?" She limped over to Mark and handed him a piece of parchment from her sleeve. It was a well made portrait, likely drawn by a professional, which surprised Mark. This woman didn't look like she had the money for such a thing. The man was rugged, with a very firm jawline and a somewhat large nose. He looked complacent, almost bored. Mark had never met him.

"I am sorry. I've never seen that man in my life." Mark handed back the portrait. Natalie nodded and sat down on the floor. "You appear to be limping. Is something wrong with your leg?" Mark asked, trying to get a look look at it.

"Yes, I was accidently cut when our village was raided many years ago." She said sadly. "The cut got infected and I eventually lost all feeling in the lower half of my leg. That's why my husband left, to earn the money for a treatment. We don't even know if such a treatment exists but…" She trailed off and smiled to herself. "Well Dorcas is never one to give up. I told him it was ok, that as long as I had him we could endure but he couldn't stand to see my limp and do nothing about it. That is why I must find him, before his desire to heal me winds up making him do something stupid." Natalie finished her sentence on the brink of tears. Mark turned to Sain, a sense of dread overtaking him. What Natalie just described happening to her leg seemed eerily similar to what Sain was going through. If left alone, would Sain be paralyzed from the waist down… forever? The thought made Marks skin crawl.

What made his skin crawl even more though was the thought of how much he lost control over the last fight, which is was got Sain injured like this in the first place. Lyn ignored his plan of a signal and charged in unannounced. Sain, similarly, refused to back down when ordered too, leading to his current state. Even though it saved Sain's life in the end, Wil was supposed to stay on the roof until ordered down from it. Everyone said they trusted Mark's judgements, but if they didn't follow them then do they truly believe in him? The thought put unease in the pit of his stomach. It's the job of a tactician to keep his soldiers in line and order, and now one of them was dying in front of him. Mark balled his fists in anger as his feeling of helplessness rose. If everyone had just listened to him none of this would have happened! As this last thought entered his mind, he heard footsteps approach. Wil barged into the room.

"Hey, Mark, we need you out front!" Wil shouted as he entered. He had his bow in his hands, three arrows already on the bowstring. "As Kent and I got back from our search we saw a group of raiders closing in on us. They seem organized, mercenaries probably. Everyone is readying the defences. Come on!" Wil ran out of the room. Mark calmly stood up and dusted off his coat. He turned to Natalie.

"It will be dangerous to go out of this room. Stay in here. Please, if you can, tend to my friend in the meanwhile. I will return when this is over." Natalie nodded at these words, and Mark turned and left.

* * *

"Kill them all!" Mark heard as he met with everyone at the front entrance. The sound came a short ways away from the fort, and was followed by a battle cry from what sounded like thirty men. Mark gulped. Even with their additions, this was going to be a difficult fight.

"Mark!" Kent said, jogging up to him, spear in hand. "We are ready for your orders. Please, hurry!" He shot a glance behind where he ran up from before turning back. "There are a lot of them, they are all using axes. Our mounts are all in the back of the fort, we have no time to reach them. There are two entrances to the fort itself, one from the east, one from the south. We are standing in the one from the south." Kent gestured around. As he did, a heavy crash resounded throughout the hall as an axe started to cleave through the wall to the west. Mark's brain went into overdrive, and his worries dissipated from his mind. All that remained was the unquenchable desire for victory. Quickly, he grabbed Florina by the arm and looked her dead in the eye. She whimpered at his sudden movement but held eye contact out of fear.

"Florina." He said. "West wall. Your thin lance can keep them from getting through. Use the holes they create and immediately stab through them as they're made. You'll be able to hold them off for a long time if you act quickly enough. Good luck." Without another thought, her let go and turned to Wil, gripping onto his wrist and staring him down too. "Wil." He said. Wil gulped and a few beads of sweat fell down his face. "You're going to go two rooms into the fort. There is a section of roof that is collapsed. That's your access point onto the roof. Just like yesterday, your orders are to rain hell. Go." He gave him a light shove in the direction he needed to go and Wil took off like a shot. Mark turned to Lyn and Kent. He grabbed them each by the shoulder. "Lyn. Kent. Front entrance. Kent, use a sword. It's better for dueling axe wielders."

Kent, eyebrow raised by Mark's sudden ferocity, retaliated. "Surely this spear is the better option right now. The distance it provides will be essential for-"

" _Kent._ " Mark said again, staring him down and gritting his teeth. "Use. A. Sword. It's an order." Kent and Lyn were shocked into silence by Mark's aggression. They glanced at eachother before each turning to mark and silently nodding. Mark patted their shoulders and let them go, walking past them towards the eastern entrance. He pulled out his sword and lit it on fire to illuminate his path. He grabbed his fire tome out of his coat with his left hand and slowly walked the corridor. Once he got to the entrance, he was greeted by several brutes.

 _That intensity was necessary to insure orders were followed._ Mark assured himself. _They will not hate you for giving them the orders they asked you to give._ It was essential this time, that his orders were followed. Without being able to monitor them, he would not be able to act if trouble arose. Therefore, there was no room for error. Orders _HAD_ to be followed if the battle was to be won. Mark snapped back to attention as an axe was falling directly towards his chest. He deftly sidestepped, giving a light slash across the arm that set the raider's shirt of fire. Surprised and alarmed, the raider stopped everything he was doing to try and put the fire out, running away from the fort in terror. The next two to come at him both swung horizontally at either side. Mark ducked under the swings, looking into his tome to chant the proper words. The book automatically opened to the right page, and Mark said the incantation. As he did, fire erupted from his body in every direction, creating a small crater in the ground and blasting the two men backwards around forty feet. Mark stood up and continued his advance, stabbing his sword into the next man's gut as he stood in awe from the explosion that just occurred. The man gasped and stumbled back, arms over his gut as he fell to the ground in pain. The last man eyed him with caution.

"I don't want to fight you." The man said. His voice was deep. He had on a red cap and had a hand axe strapped to his leg. In his hand was a massive, well kept axe that had obviously seen a lot of action. The man was rugged, with a very firm jawline and a somewhat large nose. He looked complacent, almost bored.

"That didn't stop you from attacking this fort." Mark said, raising his sword at the man accusingly. The man frowned.

"Yeah, you've got a point there." He scratched at the stubble on his chin. "But I've got to do this. I don't like killin' but these guys are paying good money for the head of some woman named Lyndis." He hefted his axe into a fighting position and sighed. "It would break poor Natalie's heart to see this, but sorry kid, you're gonna have to die."

Mark's eyes opened wide with realization, but before he could say anything, the axe came down. Mark jumped backwards, stumbling on the landing as the massive axe dug to the hilt into the ground where Mark was just standing. Regardless the man, who Mark now realized was Dorcas, pulled it back out with ease, swinging at Mark again, this time from the side. Mark was so flabbergasted at who he was fighting that he almost just let it hit him. At the last second, Mark ducked under it, lit his hand on fire, and punched Dorcus in the gut, making him take a step back. Dorcas took his step, pivoted on it, and swung again, grazing Mark on the forearm. Mark dropped his sword reflexively, and before he could get to it, Dorcas stamped his foot on it, putting out the fire. Mark tossed his tome into his coat and lit his hands on fire, raising them in a fighting stance. Dorcas hefted his axe onto his shoulder and sighed.

"And here I thought the fire was over." He said sadly.

"W-Wait, listen to me-" Mark didn't get to finished as he rolled out of the way from another massive swing. When he looked back, Dorcas was already on him again, bringing down the axe. This time, Mark only stepped back slightly. The axe barely missed him, buried back into the dirt. Mark quickly grabbed the handle between Dorcas's hand and the blade, heating it up. Dorcas cried out, taking a few steps back and gripping his hand. He quickly regained his composure and grabbed his handaxe. He threw it at Mark, grazing his shoulder. Mark shouted in pain, put out his hands, and gripped his shoulder. He stepped back a few feet and picked up the handaxe. Dorcas grabbed his main axe out of the ground and the two charged each other. Mark was no match for Dorcas's raw strength however, and it soon became evident that he wouldn't be able to keep up with this fight. Instead, he threw the axe at Dorcas, who dodged easily, and quickly closed the distance between them. He placed a hand around Dorcas's neck and began to heat it up. Dorcas gulped, sighed, and dropped his weapon raising his hands.

"Got me." He said sadly. "That was an excellent fight kid, you got some damn fine skill. Can you do me a favor though? I won't attack you guys anymore, so could you find it in you to let me go? I've got a wife I gotta care for. Have a heart." Mark, panting, removed his hand from Dorcas's neck, rubbed his sleeve to his face to clean up some of the ash from his antics, and extended his hand to Dorcas. Dorcas looked at him confused, but took it.

"I can do you one better." Mark said, smiling at the fact he actually managed to live through this encounter. "I can take you to her right now. She's inside." In that moment, the look on Dorcas's face, a mix of shame and happiness, was enough of a payment for Mark not to be mad at the guy for trying to kill him.

 **A/N: Hey yall. I did this in a few hours while I'm on a short break. There will be another chapter some point in December, but not before then unless I'm REALLY good at school, which might happen who knows. Anyways, things in school are entering finals mode, sort of, but enough that I need to start dealing with it you know? So no more stuff till Christmas break. Bear with me guys, sorry. And I'm sorry about the break between this chapter and last chapter, I got carried away being indoctrinated into some new video games and spent most of my free time doing that. But anyways, like I said, one more (Maybe two) chapters this year. Also Mark has leveled up! (I don't know how many of you care about this really, let me know) +1 Spd/Res. An ok level up, not great, not terrible, just alright. Anyways, I'll see you guys next time, around mid December (UNLESS I'M REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT SCHOOL.)**


	7. That's what friends are for, right?

Mark led Dorcas into the inner sanctum of the ruined fort, listening to Dorcas apologize numerous times along the way.

"Really, if I had known none of this would have happened. This is all my fault. Natalie is gonna be so disappointed in me." His shoulders hung low, both of his axes now strapped to his back. He had taken off his cap and was nervously slapping it against his knee as the walked. Mark could hear his friends fighting through the hallways of the fort. He needed to rejoin them all soon.

"Listen, Dorcas, you don't seem like a bad guy, alright? Can you do me a favor and just pick your head up, and go the rest of the way yourself? When you're done you can help us hold them off and that should be plenty of payback ok?"

Dorcas looked at Mark gloomily but straightened up and nodded, "Yeah, if you say so. I'll try to be brief." Dorcas started walking into the depths of the fort by himself from that point on. Mark wasted no time in sprinting back towards the front. He hadn't seen any more raiders at the East entrance, so he decided to try and back up Florina at the West. First though, he wanted to survey the field. Finding a foothold in a broken section of wall, he slowly scaled his way to the roof. A little ways away was Wil, dutifully firing arrows at both the front and eastern entrances. Mark ran up to him and kneeled at his side.

"How's it look from up here?" Mark asked. Wil gave him a quick acknowledgment and continued his barrage as he spoke.

"Right now, most of them are at the front. Only a few of them have realized the condition of the eastern walls, but Florina is holding them off well. They can't get close enough to the wall to burst through yet. The front end is where the main bulk of their force is, including their leader. Kent and Lyn seem to be handling things, but Kent's skill off of horseback looks like it could use work." Nothing he said was much of a surprise to Mark, but now he was unsure where to lend a hand. Both sides seemed like they needed the help. After mulling it over for a minute, he tapped Wil's shoulder to grab his attention anew.

"I'm going to the West. Focus all of your attention on the front. Only descend if it would save a life." Mark said. Will nodded and ran more towards the front. Mark walked silently to the west side and peered over the wall. Several men with axes, and one or two archers were up against the wall, trying to push it down. Everytime they got closer though, Mark saw a thin spear peek out of the wall, making quick cuts and stabs until the men backed off. The wall wasn't looking great though, and Mark carefully watched his footing so as not to collapse the roof on Florina. He laid on his stomach and peered over the scene. No one saw him yet. Perfect. Reaching into his overcoat he pulled out his fire tome and flipped to the near end of the book. He quietly started to chant what he saw. This would take some time, but Mark didn't think he could take on this many people in a straightforward fight. The incantation itself was four and a half pages long, but he'd trained for this. His eyes darted across the pages, his mouth only muttering the slightest sounds so as not to be heard. He felt the floor of the roof against his stomach and chest rumble as the raiders crashed into the building over and over.

"S-Stay back!" He heard a meek voice through the cracks. It trembled with fear and the raiders grew ever more confident. Mark gulped and tried his best to read faster. Around his the air began to heat up, his coat giving off steam and rising slightly from the arcane energy pouring out of him.

"One more time and it'll crumble boys! Don't kill there girl, feisty little wenches like her will fetch a high price!" One of the men cried. Mark finished reading. The raiders charges and hit the wall, as Mark was stretching out his arm, ready. The wall fell, and with it the section of roof that Mark lay prone on. As he fell with the cool stone, he brought his legs below him, landing on the floor below. Florina jumped as he landed next to her. The raiders were just as surprised. As the stone fell around him, Mark pointed his arm through the now gaping hole in the wall and furrowed his eyebrows in anger.

"Not a chance." He yelled at the raiders forcefully, and released the fire from his arm. The blast from the pure energy shot him back against the wall, pinning him in the air as the field outside as well as the hallway he was in lit up like day time from the brilliance of the fire. He heard screaming, horrible, horrible screaming but he kept the flames coming. They licked at the stone, scorching it to hardened brick before just incinerating the edges all together. When he was out of power, he fell to the floor on his knees, sweat dripping from just about every pore on his body. He panted hard, slowly rising and looking at what he'd done. From the edge of the hallway until about seventy yards out, a straight column of the ground had disappeared, hardened clay taking its place in a two foot divet in the earth. Ash fell from the sky, settling on the torched ground and his clothes. The raiders had been completely erased. Mark looked at Florina who looked at him in fear. She kept looking back and forth, wide eyed between him and his carnage.

"I was just-" Mark started, but Florina shook her head.

"No, n-no, you don't have to justify it. You wanted to help me. You probably saved my life. It's just…" She looked out again and gulped. "... Kind of scary." She squinted out a few tears and wiped her eyes. "I-I'm a me-mercenary. The-these things d-d-don't bother me anymore…" She was clearly lying through her teeth. Most likely, she was more trying to convince herself rather than Mark. Mark slowly stood up and brushed off his coat. He looked at his tome just as a few of the pages burned to ash and fell to the floor. He put it away in its usual pocket. Before he could try to console Florina, he heard a distant horn and the sound of many units retreating.

He looked up at Florina, who was still shaking and staring at him. He felt like a freak. He probably was. "... Sounds like it's over. We should all get some rest." Mark looked closer and saw Florina had a bad cut across her thigh. He offered her a hand. "Here, I'll walk you over to-" Before he could even finished, Florina violently shook her head and ran, well, hobbled rather, away from him as fast as she could, using her spear as a walking stick. "... I have a vulnerary…" Mark said softly as he watched her disappear around the corner. _Yup._ He thought to himself, suddenly very tired. _I really am a freak._

* * *

With a sour taste in his mouth, both from his actions and their impact on Florina, Mark slowly shuffled back the the inner part of the fort. He was the last one to arrive, and everyone else had already spaced out in the inner room. Lyn was holding Florina close in the corner as Florina cried softly into her shoulder. The cut on her thigh was gone, someone must of already treated it. When she saw Mark walk in she sniffled a little and scooted in even closer to Lyn. Lyn had a bandage on her forehead and another on her side. She gave Mark a knowing glance with nothing but sympathy in her eyes. Mark's dreary mood lifted slightly, but not much. At least one person understood. Wil was leaning against the back wall, his arms folded and one leg bent so that the foot was on the wall. He was unscathed, but his quiver was looking thin. Sain was still on the floor, but his eyes were open. He looked drearily at the ceiling. Kent was on one knee down next to him, recounting the events of the evening. Kent had the most injuries. His entire left arm was wrapped, his chest piece was off and the shirt he had on was full of rips and soaked in blood. His leg had blood running down it from an untreated injury on his side. Dorcas was sitting on a little wooden stool in the corner. His wife sat with him and was having a hushed conversation with him. He looked ashamed. Mark was beginning to wonder if that was his only look.

Mark decided to deal with their little legion's duo of knights first. Ironically in the worst condition out of everyone, they both seemed somewhat jovial.

"Oh yes, here is a detail you'll enjoy." Kent said to his companion. Sain grinned.

"Oh, do tell." Sain said.

"Our lady single handedly took down more than twenty of our assailants. It was a beautiful sight."

Sain sighed wistfully, prompting a cough or two. "Ah, I can only imagine." He said, dreamily. "Thank you Kent. You fill my head with such wonderful imagery."

Kent chuckled and shook his head. "Only because you're sick. If you weren't, I'd berate you for such thoughts." He tossed a quick look at Lyn to make sure they weren't being overheard. "But I'll allow it this once."

"Kent." Mark interrupted. Kent looked up at him, patted Sain on the shoulder, and stood up.

"Yes Mark, what can I do for you." He said, standing straight even with blood gushing out of his side.

"Take this, for a start." Mark handed him his last vulnerary. Kent pushed it back.

"This is nothing." Kent said.

"No it isn't." Mark said offering it again. "Take it. I insist." Kent still looked at it guiltily.

"I cannot. Please, give it to Lady Lyndis. She also suffered injuries."

"Take the damn potion Kent!" Mark yelled, letting his foul mood get the best of him. Everyone shot him a quick look, a raised eyebrow here and there, before going back amongst themselves. Kent remained unphased.

"Give it to my lady. Please." Mark stared him down. Kent remained unflinching.

"She's just going to tell me to give it to you." Mark said flatly. "And if that's an order, which it will be if I ask, we'll just be doing this again." Mark sighed. "Kent you're hardly standing. I'm sorry I yelled. Please, take the potion."

Kent looked at his feet before begrudgingly taking the vulnerary from Mark's hands. He raised it to his lips and drank. His wounds instantly began to seal themselves and he breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped his lips with his sleeve and bowed slightly, hand on chest. "Thank you, Mark. No apologies necessary. I know you are only looking out for all of us, and I truly do appreciate it." Kent straightened up again, the pain in doing so gone. "Was there anything else you needed?"

Mark shook his head. "No, not right now. In the morning though, if you wake up before me, try to find a place where we can all bathe. A good soak would do everyone some good right now. There must be a place somewhere. Any old place will do, just a place to wash off the dirt and grim."

"And ash?" Kent said, swiping a hand along Mark's chest and showing him his now pitch black fingertips.

Mark sighed. "Yes, and the ash." He said sadly.

Kent nodded. "It shall be my first task in the morning.

"Good, get some rest." Mark said. With that, Kent returned to Sain's side and continued his report.

"Hey, Mark. Can I talk to you for a second?" Wil said, beckoning him over. Mark walked over, careful to go the long way around in case Florina still didn't want to be around him.

"Yes?" Mark asked. He didn't mean to sound annoyed, but he did anyways.

Wil frowned. "You look down. I feel like that shouldn't be the case since we won." Wil said. "I think I've gathered why…" he gestured his head to Florina and Lyn in the corner, "...but you can't let that bother you. She's just timid. I saw what you did too, and I understand why you did." Mark gulped. Wil placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in a little closer. "Hey, listen don't worry about it. I'm sure it hurt you just as much as it did Florina. It can't feel good to just… erase people like that." _That's an understatement_. Mark thought. His sadness must have shown through because Wil looked him in the eye. "Hey, Mark, I know it probably felt incredibly gut wrenching to do that but you saved our lives. If the west didn't hold, the front would have been lost too. Most of us, if not all of us, would have died. You did it to save your friends. No one holds it against you."

"Florina does." Mark sighed, gently taking Wil's hand off his shoulder. "And I don't blame her either."

"No, she doesn't blame you!" Wil insisted. "If anything she's just really shocked you could even do that. I mean, I sure as hell was surprised." Wil's eyes lit up a little bit. "I mean, I just ran over to offer support because things were easing up big time at the front, and when I get there FWOOSH!" Wil pushed out an arm and made fire sound effects with his mouth. "I never knew _anyone_ could do that. That's some seriously high level magic!" Wil dropped his arm and smiled. "I know it doesn't feel good to end lives but we're fighters, Mark. It's just the job.

"I'm a tactician." Mark said.

"Not even close." Wil said. He quickly backtracked. "Well no, you're a great tactician, but you're a fighter too! You have serious firepower that most people probably have to work their whole lives to achieve! And how old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"Case and point." Wil returned to leaning against the wall. "I'm just saying Mark, you're better than you realize, and I'm damn happy I joined up with you all. I'm sure they're all happy that you're here too Mark. You saved our lives tonight. No one here hates you." With that, Wil finished his pep talk. Mark, unsure what to say for himself, just smiled meekly and turned away. Wil was surprisingly perceptive of the thoughts in Mark's head. He was sure his new found friends would be horrified by his actions, just as Florina was. Feeling new confidence in his actions for the night, he finally braved himself to go up to Florina and Lyn. When Lyn saw him approach, she quickly jumped up and brushed herself up.

"I'm going to get some air. There's too many people in this room right now." Lyn was a horrible liar. Mark was sure this was the main place she wanted to be right now, surrounded by friends. She just wanted to give Mark and Florina their chance to reconcile. Now "trapped" in the corner, Florina silently watched as Mark sat cross legged on the floor in front of her. She eyed him carefully.

"Hey…" Mark started, immediately trailing off. "I just wanted to… apologize… for earlier. It was legitimately the only way I could think to save you. I hope you can forgive me." He bowed his head and waited for a response. Eventually he heard a soft murmur. He lifted his head. "Um… come again?"

Florina took a deep breath and looked down. "I-I said it's ok. You just wanted to save me. I'm not mad. I'm j-just shaken." She sounded sincere. Mark began to feel a smile of relief play on his face.

"I-" He started. He stopped and smiled gently, calming himself as the weights on his shoulders quickly began to lessen. "Thank you." He said. He left it at that. He was sure she didn't want to spend more time with him right now, but the fact she'd already forgiven him was like its own kind of vulnerary. As he got up and left, Wil grinned at him and flashed him a thumbs up. Mark debated what to do next. He wanted to check in with everyone before they slept, and the only one left were Dorcas and his wife, and Lyn. Mark decided to quickly check on Dorcas.

"Hello Dorcas, Natalie." Mark said as he walked up to them. They quickly stopped their conversation. "Am I interrupting?" He asked politely.

Natalie shook her head. "No, Dorcas was just saying he had something he wanted to say to you." She eyed him silently. "Right dear?" She prompted.

Dorcas looked at his feet and sighed. "Y-yeah, um… I'm not really good with words, but sorry for tryin to kill you and all that." He scratched his stubble. Natalie gestured for him to go on. He sighed again. "And for saving me and my wife, I was wondering if you'd like me to tag along with you for now. Next job I take is gonna be an honest living but I've got nothing else to do while I search. If you'll have me my axe is yours for now." He glanced up at Mark. This was something he should consult Lyn about but he was pretty sure he knew what she would say.

"Of course. We would love to have you. Welcome to Lyndis's Legion. We'll probably have more battles down the road. I hope you're ready for that." Mark said, extending a hand.  
Dorcas smiled and shook it as he rose to a standing position. "I know. It's the least I can do for what you've done for my family. I'll leave with you guys in the morning. I'm going to take Natalie to the closest town tonight and buy her stay at an inn with all the money I've got on me right now, so just wait for me I'll be back tomorrow in the morning, ok?" He asked.

Mark nodded. "Sure." He looked at Natalie and bowed. "It was nice to meet you Natalie. If we find anything for your leg I'll be sure to send it along with Dorcas when I send him back to you."

Natalie giggled. "Send him back in one piece, and you'll be more of a hero than you already are." Mark smiled at the couple and headed out of the fort. As he did he had one lingering thought. _Heroes don't incinerate people._

Lyn was sitting against the stone of the front entrance, cleaning her sacred blade with a cloth and gently humming. She turned to Mark as he approached.

* * *

"Hello Mark." She said, smiling. "I trust everything went well with Florina?"

Mark nodded and sat down next to her, leaning his tired bones against the wall as well. "Yeah, she's forgiven me, somehow." He chuckled, the cool night air cooling down his still heated clothes and skin. _Still,_ he thought, _That's one hell of a spell._ He had never used it in actual battle, and only ever once before now. The thought that it came to him so easily scared him a little. Together, he and Lyn sat in silence for a while. Eventually, Mark turned to her. "How did you and she meet anyways?"

Lyn sheathed her blade and laid it across her lap, "It was about six years ago. She was flying around the region we Lorca were in at the time and ran into some trouble with some local bandits. I saved her. She's made an effort to visit me for a few days at least twice a year." She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool stone. "She was all I thought I had left. Then I met you." He turned her head and smiled at him sweetly. Mark blushed a little, feeling undeserving of her appreciation. "Hey, let me ask you something Mark." She said, shifting uncomfortably. "You don't… regret coming with me right? I know it took you off your path."

Mark laughed. "I never had a path. Beside's travelling with everyone is fun."

Lyn sighed and looked at the clear sky. "...I don't know if I believe you." Mark's heart sank a little bit. "Let me put it this way. When we first met you were more… care free, I guess." She pulled her knees to her chest, still not looking at him. "You would smile, we'd joke and laugh, we met Kent and Sain and you agreed to go on this quest with me and you just seemed… happier." She finally turned to him. "What's wrong, Mark?" Mark thought about how he'd been acting the past couple of days. He had taken on his role as tactician seriously, as he knew he should, but the pressure was changing him little by little. People not following his directions, Sain being near death, everyone getting hurt, it all traced back to his leadership. And part of that leadership was destroyed tonight, but horrifying Florina. He couldn't even bring himself to think of her the way he had the last few days. He felt like he'd destroyed that bridge with the same fire he used earlier. In other words, there wasn't a slight chance of that every happening now.

"I'm not sad. I'm probably happier than I've been in a while. I just feel a sort of pressure to succeed I never felt when leading the mag-" Mark bit his lip and looked away. "...Ignore that." He muttered. "It's just, in all my experience, I never had people in my army that I… really cared if they died or not." He shook his head. This was all coming out so wrong, he sounded like a heartless monster. Of course he cared if his former soldiers died, but they were faceless, in a sense. They didn't have any of the kind of connections that Mark had made with these people. "...It's hard to describe."

Lyn nodded in thought. "So you're scared you'll accidently send us to our deaths, is that it?" She asked quietly. Mark thought a chill go down his spine just at the thought. He'd never been able to piece it until now, but that was exactly what he was feeling. He never knew how important human connections could be until he'd met everyone. Now that he realized them, the thought of losing them, reverting back into the way things were, was a fate worse than death for him.

"...Yes." He said sadly. "I feel as though if I am not perfect, everything will crumble. A single death could split the group into pieces for all I know. Or even just serious injuries like Sains. At the end, that's my fault." He shifted onto his knees and fully turned to Lyn, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. "But what if something happens that I didn't account for. Anything and everything that happens on the battlefield is, at the end of the day, my fault. I can be my inability to rally my troops, my friends, it can be poor judgement that results in a death, it can be insubordination, anything. And as soon as I'm not needed anymore, or people don't trust me anymore, or whatever, then everyone will be gone and I'll be dying in some field again." He looked down. His hands were shaking. "And then, just like that, everything I'm realizing I always needed more of in my life would be broken, severed, destroyed however you want to call it! And what then!?" He shouted, looking back up at Lyn. "I…" He choked up. All his frustrations from the last few battles, the stress he'd been feeling came crashing down. "I don't want any of this to be over… ever." He finally said. He collapsed back against the wall. "I'm sorry. I'm alright. I just worry about these things." He said. Lyn was still quiet next to him. Maybe he poured out his soul a little too much. But didn't she say to him to talk to her at times like this? Did she mean it?

While he was lost in thought, he felt a soft embrace come from his side. Lyn was hugging him, smiling with her eyes closed. Mark paused for a moment before returning the hug. Finally Lyn spoke, "I'm not going anywhere Mark. Don't worry." She said. She broke the hug and stood up, a determined fire in her eyes. "Once we get to Caelin, I'm instating you as Head Tactical Advisor!" She said. Mark wanted to accept right away. He wanted to stay with everyone, but he knew he couldn't draw the attention.

"I can't. I need to keep traveling once this is done." Mark said.

"I haven't forgotten that." Lyn reassured. "I'll go with you! I'll be like when we first set out! We won't be hunted, we won't have to worry about positions of leadership, we can just travel. We can have everyone come with us too! Lyndis's legion can take on the continent by storm." She offered him a hand to help him up. "I promise. I'm sure my grandfather has a few years on him yet so we have time before I have to take over as marquess. I mean, I don't even know if I want to. I'd just as happily give up the position to travel with you Mark. I don't think you give yourself enough credit. You came to me at my lowest and picked me right up again. Let me do the same. What do you say?" Mark looking at her, speechless at her straightforward and honest nature. It shouldn't surprise him at this point, but it still did. Feeling better than he had since before the battle where Sain got his injury, Mark took Lyn's hand with a renewed purpose.

"Deal." He pulled her into one last hug. "Thanks Lyn." _Don't feel a pressure to succeed, Mark._ He thought. _Just enjoy the time with your friends. The more you stress about saving them all, the more likely you are to make a mistake. Just do what friends do,_ he broke the hug and walked back into the fort with Lyn, _And do everything you can to back them up._

 **A/N - I didn't realize how long this was until I was done. Wooooooops. Really feeling this story right now, especially since Mark's first little mini crisis is over. Now we can go back to fun loving, joking, less super serious Mark, which most of this story is going to be. Is Mark now going to be happy forever? Absolutely not, as he's got a lot more life to live. Also, I had an epiphany. Should I extend this story to FE6? Let me know your thoughts. Obviously that's a LOOOOOONG way off but I'm having a blast writing this story so far, and think it might be fun. Let me know what you guys think. Since I'm on such a kick for writing this so far this break, expect a few more chapters before school starts again. I'm thinking maybe even like, 6 before break is over. Hope you guys are hyped as I am. As always, thanks for reading and I'll see you all again soon. :D - Matt**


	8. A familiar face

Thanks to Lyn's heartfelt speech the previous night, Mark actually woke up smiling. He yawned and stretched out his legs and arms, cracking his back and running a hand through his hair. Light streamed in through the cracks of the ceiling of the room he has picked himself for the night within the ruined fort. He had fallen asleep sitting against the wall, it seemed, and at some point fell to his side with his back to the wall. Three books were open in front of his face, and he gently sat up and put them all away in his coat. He fell asleep reading again, it would seem. He stood up slowly, still not fully awake and shuffled his way into the inner room that everyone had been in the night before.

The only one who wasn't there was Dorcas, who had insisted he would be back at some point this morning before he left the previous night. Lyn and Florina were smiling and giggling with each other against the back wall. Mark couldn't help but feel his heart break a little while he watched Florina smile and be so happy, especially when remembering what he put her through the previous night. After a brief stare though, he merely contented himself with the fact that she was happy. He was done being negative with himself, he had decided. Sain was actually standing and walking around, albeit shakily. Dorcas had brought a new medicine for his wife to try but she insisted that he give it to Sain. Dorcas didn't want to, but one stern look from Natalie and he caved. Mark had already gone to bed, but apparently some of his coloration had immediately returned. Kent too, looked much better than he had the previous night, the vulnerary having a full night to work through his system. His shirt had been washed, meaning he had found a water source like Mark had asked, and his arm was no longer bandaged, showing no signs of injury. The only area that still had damage was his side, but it was looking much better. Wil had a few sticks in his lap and was making a few makeshift arrows out of them, since his supply was obviously running low. He was in his own little world, whittling away.

Mark inhaled deeply, smiled and the sight of things looking up, and shouted heartily, "Good morning everyone!"

Everyone turned, giving mixed "Hi"s and "Hello"s as Mark worked his way over to Kent. Kent turned to him and smiled.

"You seem better." He said kindly.

"So do you." Mark smiled back. He gestured to Kent's shirt. "I see you took my directive. Could you tell me where the water is?"

Kent nodded and pointed towards the back wall. "Of course. Continue straight that way for about ten minutes, and you will soon see it on your right. We have all already bathed before you, so since we are waiting for Dorcas anyways, please, take your time and relax." He smiled and, just like last night, ran a finger along Mark's coat. He held up his now pitch black fingertip. "Also, give your coat a wash. It's supposed to be green, you know."

Despite standing as a reminder of Mark's actions, Mark looked down and managed to chuckle. Regardless of why all the ash was there, it's true that he looked stupid. He gave Kent a smile and a thumbs up. "Will do captain." He said.

Kent looked at him confused. "I am a normal cavalry soldier. I am no captain."

Mark's smile broke a little. "No, I just meant it like… that is it's just-" He cut himself off and waved a hand dismissively. "You know what? Don't even worry about it. Thank you for the info." As he turned to walk away, Sain called for him.

"Oh, Mark, before you go!" He slowly made his way over. He was sweating all over.

"Should you even be standing?" Mark said, waiting for him to come closer.

Sain smiled a big toothy grin. "Nope!" He said cheerfully. He finally got close enough and turned Mark away from the others, putting an arm around him. Mark gulped nervously at his actions.

"Uh… can I help you?" Mark asked quietly, as this was clearly meant to be a one on one meeting.

Sain looked down at him with a know-it-all smile. "You know Mark, sick people can be very, _very_ perceptive when people think they are unconscious on the back of a horse."

"You were definitely uncon-"

"Shhhh….." Sain said, putting a finger to Mark's lips. "Listen, I want to help you."

"...With what?"

"Oh come now, Mark, you insult me. You think a connoisseur of love such as myself wouldn't notice, even in my delirious state?" Sain shook his head, truly heartbroken. "Such a deep wound you cut in me, my friend."

"Uh…"

Sain rolled his eyes and leaned in to whisper. "I'm talking about your longing glances at Florina, Mark." Mark turned a bright red, causing Sain to hold in a laugh. "See? It seems I'm entirely correct." Sain patted Mark on the back, sending him on his way. Without looking back, Mark hid his face in his coat and hurried away. "Just let me know when you want to make your move and I'll help, ok?!" Sain shouted after him. Mark looked back briefly enough to receive a thumbs up, and quickly made his way to the water.

* * *

As it turned out, the water Kent had found turned out to be a small river. Mark took off his clothes, careful to lay out all of his readings and tools beforehand, and walked into the cool water. Once inside, he grabbed his clothes and a few rocks, and began to rub the ash out of them. Soon enough they were a brilliant dark green again. After laying them out to dry, Mark found a nice spot where the current wouldn't drag him away, leaned his head against a jutting rock, and passed out. He hadn't realized how tired all the stress had been making him before now. When he woke up, the sun was a small ways further in the sky. He yawned and stood in the current, making his way back to shore. His clothes, now dry, were soon packed with his equipment again, and just as he was putting on his coat…

"I don't know what you're talking about." He heard a female voice say. "I would never do such a thing. You should know me better at this point."

"Sure." Said an obviously unconvinced male voice. "Just like how you said you would never-" The voice stopped.

"Hmm? What is it?" The female voice inquired. No response.

Eventually, "...There's people here. Too many. Almost like a-" The man was cut off by a familiar sounding horn, the one from last night, and the sudden rush of boots hitting the earth. It came the other side of the river, where the voices were.

"Eeeeeeeeek!" Yelled the female voice, it's shrill nature piercing Mark's ears.

"Stay back!" The male shouted. Soon a beacon of fire lit itself through the trees. Mark was unsure whether he should step in to help now or to get his friends first, but since they weren't that far, he decided on the friends. Dashing back up to the fort, Mark ended up meetin them halfway. Apparently Dorcas had returned, and the group was heading towards the river.

"H-Hey, guys!" Mark yelled at them, waving an arm. "There's a fight! Someone's being attacked by the same group that raided us last night!" He was too far away to hear responses, but they started rushing to him. Mark quickly sprinted back to the scene. When he got to the river, a man in a red cape, fireballs hovering in his hands, was dueling with a swordsman along the river bank. A hood covered his face, but a few locks of purple hair tumbled out of it. Near him, keeping a silent watch with a bored look on her face, was a woman with two long ponytails in what looked like a lovely silk dress. She had a staff in her hands, nonchalantly healing the mage whenever he got hurt.

"YOU COULD HELP ME DAMMIT!" The mage shouted, sending a fireball into the face of the swordsman, making him dive into the river.

"Why should I? You've got it handled." The healer said, pointing to the now unconscious man. "See?"

"Because I could have died!" The mage said angrily, turning away from Mark to face the healer. Mark recognized the voices as the ones he heard earlier. Suddenly, the healer pointed right at him.

"Oh, behind you." She said flatly. The mage immediately pivoted on his foot and threw a fireball directly at Mark's chest. Now aware who it was, Mark simply lit his hand on fire and caught it. He smirked.

"What the-" The mage started before he saw who it was. He brought down his hood and rubbed his eyes. Slowly, he smiled. "You son of a bit-"

"Long time no see." Mark said, winding up. "I think this is yours!" He threw the fireball back at the mage. The mage also lit his hand on fire and caught it back.

"You're supposed to be dead, Mark!" The mage said happily. He put out the flames.

"You're supposed to be in Etruria, Erk." Mark retorted. Erk laughed.

"You wouldn't know since you died, but I've become a full fledged escort!" Erk said proudly. "What have _you_ done with your life since _you_ _died_ , hmm?"

Mark shrugged. "Well, the afterlife turned out to be a single room tent so I came back."

Erk looked at him confused. "What? I don't get it."

Mark laughed and waved a hand. "Eh, don't worry about it. Point is, I'm here to help you fend off these raiders."

Erk shook his head. "I already fended off the raiders."

Mark looked at him with surprise. Erk wasn't that good at fighting, as far as Mark knew. "Then who is left?"

Erk shrugged, "Just some bandits. It's actually somewhat funny since-" He was cut off by a throat clearing behind him. His expression of joy at seeing Mark instantly changed. His shoulders dropped. His face was sullen. He practically aged ten years. He slowly turned around. "...Yes… Serra?" He asked sadly.

Serra clucked her tongue and smiled. "Oh Erk, sweetheart, you're going to introduce me right?"

Mark gasped. "Sweetheart?!" He looked at Erk in shock. "Erk, did you finally get a girl-"

Erk shot him the most venomous look Mark had ever seen him make. "No." He said, his words dripping malice and disgust . Mark gulped and raised his hand defensively. Erk let out a sigh and held a hand towards Serra. "This is Serra. She's my client. Don't trust her." He said flatly. Mark knew Erk could be a little emotionless and cynical at times, but this was a whole new level.

Serra stepped forward and held out a hand towards Mark. "Charmed, I'm sure." She said, completely disregarding Erk's 'Don't trust her' comment. Mark stared at her, unsure what to do. He was on the other side of the bank. He wasn't going to wad through just to kiss her hand. She seemed truly taken aback.

She turned to Erk, "Erk!" She whined, "He won't come kiss my hand! Was he raised in a stable?" She asked, somehow, seriously.

"Not even close. He's just not an idiot and see's that you're trouble." Erk mumbled.

"That's so mean of you Erk!" Serra said, hitting him on the shoulder. Erk didn't even flinch, just looked at her tiredly. "I should fire you for such remarks." She said, folding her arms in anger and turning away from him.

For a moment, Erk's face lit up with hope. " _Please_ do." He pleaded. Serra laughed.

"Oh don't be silly Erk. I forgive you!" She said in a sing-songy voice. Erk's shoulders somehow dropped even more. "I mean, I can't be seen without a good looking man such as yourself beside me. That would just be undignified."

Erk's brow furrowed. "You force me to live this hell because you think I look attractive? What about the rescuing? The time and money management? The fact that I can shoot fire out of my hands?"

Serra frowned at him sadly. "Oh Erk, sweetheart-"

"Don't call me that."

"-Any old escort from Etruria can do that, but they're all so much _older_ than you, and that's so creepy, don't you think?" She smiled like her argument made sense. "No no, that simply wouldn't do."

Mark tried his best up to this point not to laugh at his best friend's pain but now it was too much. Part of it was the joy of seeing Erk, his only real friend since childhood, again. Part of it was the situation. Part of it was the sound of bandit's still searching for them in the forest, somehow unable to hear this conversation. Regardless, Mark laughed hard.

Erk shot him another glare. He didn't care. "Well Erk." He said, wiping some tears from his eyes, "You seem well off."

"At least I have someone to travel with." He sneered. "I see you've retained your lonely mindset. This is why you should have taken me with you, you wouldn't be so-" He was cut off by Lyndis's Legion suddenly entering the scene. All six of them, even Sain, weapons drawn, slowly walked up on either side of him.

Lyn put a hand on his shoulder, staring down Erk and Serra. "Are these two giving you trouble, Mark?" She asked. Erk quietly looked at his feet.

"Nah." Mark giggled. "Quite the opposite actually." Mark made his way over to them and put an arm around each of them, bringing them closer together, much to Erk's dismay. "This is my best friend and his _employer._ " Mark threw extra emphasis onto the word, just to piss Erk off more. "This is Erk and Serra. Let's help them out of a bind, hmm?"

* * *

The order's Mark gave to everyone were brief and simple: scatter around the area and defeat the remaining bandits in groups of two. The first pair was Dorcas and Wil, since Dorcas made an excellent front wall for Wil to hide behind and avoid close combat. The next pair was Florina and Lyn, since Florina whimpered whenever Mark tried to pair her with anyone else. Eventually he caved and the two set off together. The next pair was Kent and Mark. There was no real tactical advantage to this pairing, it was just who was left. This was because Sain fell off his horse, unconscious again, the medicine losing it's effect.

"Hey what's wrong with your friend?" Serra asked, concerned.

"He took a big hit from a diseased axe." Mark said, hoping onto the back of Kent's horse. "He's been like this for almost a week now.

"That's not good!" Serra said, hand over mouth. _Oh really?_ Mark thought to himself sarcastically. _I just figured it was fine._

"You're a healer right? Do you think you could fix him up?" Mark asked. Serra huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"Oh course I can. Leave it to me!"

"Thank you." Mark said. Kent started to spur his horse forward but was stopped by Erk.

"Mark. You haven't given me a command yet." He prompted. Mark could read the thought in his eyes. He was asking, no, _begging_ not to stay here with Serra. Unfortunately for him, it made the most sense that he do so.

Mark smiled empathetically. "Erk, I know exactly what you're asking."

Erk closed his eyes, looking down and smiling. "Thank you Mark. It's been like this for months and I could really use the-"

"But no." Mark said flatly. "Go on Kent." Kent, smiling and laughing to himself, sent his horse into a full gallop immediately. When Mark looked back at the fading image of Erk, the betrayal on his face was still clear as day.

Cleaning up the bandits wasn't hard in the slightest. Mark would launch fire, and the occasional lightning bolt from the back of Kent's horse, and they essentially because a hit and run tag team. Gallop in, stab and fire off magic, get out, repeat. Eventually, the bandits were so unsure how to deal with it that they just gave up and started running away. This allowed the two to help out the other groups as well. First, they found Florina and Lyn employing a similar tactic, dropping in and out of the sky. After helping them clear out their area, they found Dorcas and Wil chatting and laughing on a rock, surrounded by unconscious bodies. When they returned, even Sain was doing better than ever. He was sitting up and immediately greeted them all once they rode up. It was possibly the easiest fight the group had had yet.

Well, except for Erk. Erk was pissed. Erk had a brand new tear in his cape, two on his pants, and five on his shirt. He had been cut a total of eight times while Serra was nursing Sain back to health, only to be stitched back together in time for whoever showed up next. Where any given duo of fighters fought five to nine bandits, Erk fought off an astonishing fourteen, essentially by himself.

"Wow." Mark said as Erk recounted the tale after everyone was talking among themselves. "Seems like you've actually become a decent fighter."

"Yes, you'd be surprised by me now Mark." Erk stated confidently. "And it's all because of teacher." Mark gave a half smile and looked away.

"...Let's not talk about him." He said.

Erk raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought this whole journey was to clear your head. Don't tell me you're still mad."

Mark sighed. "I'm never going to be not mad, Erk. So I'd rather just ignore it."

Erk shrugged. "Regardless, it's thanks to him." He looked up at the sky for a moment before looking back down. "But you know Mark…" He said. "...I'm pretty glad you're not actually dead."

Mark smirked. "Did you really think I was?"

Erk smirked back. "No one did. Literally no one thinks you're dead. I just wanted to make you think you actually tricked someone." Mark's heart sank at this news a little. He had put a lot of effort into faking his death. He was pretty proud of it.

"Yeah well, I figured." Mark said, looking away again. "It was worth a shot though. No way they were just going to let me walk out of the city."

"You're right, of course." Erk said. "Why are you with these people anyway? Isn't that the girl that's going to succeed the Caelin throne?" He asked, discreetly pointing at Lyn a few meters away.

"Yes, she is." Mark said shooting her a glance.

"I thought you wanted a low profile." Erk said hushed. He leaned in a little closer, making sure no one could hear. "They've been looking for you, Mark. They'll come for you pretty soon." Mark gulped nervously. His hands shook slightly in fear.

"I-I know that but I can't just leave." Mark said. "They're my friends."

"I'm your friend too right?" Erk said sadly. "Didn't stop you then." To this, Mark had no reply. Possibly his biggest regret of leaving was not telling Erk where or when he was going away. "Well, anyway, I'm not trying to guilt trip you." Erk said, raising his hands. "I'm just trying to give you fair warning. What you are doing will draw attention. And I'm not going to stick around to watch the fire and brimstone come hurling do-"

"Oh Erk, sweetheart, there you are!" Said Serra, skipping over to them. Erk moved a hand to his face and slowly let it fall off.

"...Yes, Serra?" He asked miserably.

"I have great news!" Serra said. "By using my detective skills, I have learned that Lyn is actually the Lyndis trying to take the Caelin throne!" She said hushed, looking around to see if anyone heard her. "If we help her take the throne we could have actual nobility indebted to us!" She said, happily.

Erk shook his head. "No, absolutely not. Besides, you're already 'actual nobility', you have no need for anyone to be indebted to you-"

Serra stuck her tongue out and pouted. "Well too bad because you have to do what I day and I say we're staying with Lady Lyn!" She huffed. "And besides, look at the good I already did!" She pointed to Sain, who was standing up and talking like he had never even been sick. "This group needs a healer like me!" She grabbed Mark by the coat and tugged at it. "Right, Mark? You're the tactician right? Shouldn't the group have a healer like me to round out our armament? Right? Right?" She kept bouncing up and down, almost tearing his coat at the sleeve.

"W-Well you're not wrong, per se…" Mark said, scratching his head. _I'm just not sure if that healer should be you_. He thought to himself.

"See?" Serra said, pointing at Mark and looking angrily and Erk. "So we're staying then. Change of plans. After that you can take me to Ostia as per our contract." She smiled and pulled Erk into a crushing hug. Mark briefly saw Erk's teeth grate against one another, and his hand catch fire and start to hover close to Serra's side, but he put it out. Serra let go of Erk and skipped back over to the rest of the group. Erk brushed off his clothes and sighed.

"...What was that about not being around for the fire and brimstone part?" Mark said, snickering to himself.

"You, dear friend, can shut up."

 **A/N Like I said, I'm on a kick of writing inspiration right now but with Christmas around the corner who knows when I'll write again. I'm hoping for at least one more chapter before Christmas even happens so… yeah. This ones a little shorter than usual, but as always, hope you've enjoyed. Thanks for continuing to read. :D -Matt**


	9. Entering Lycia

That night, everyone settled in to the campsite. The horses and pegasus were stationed at a nearby tree, buckets of water and food in front of them. Wil was somewhere in the nearby woods, coming back every now and again with a rabbit, and sometimes even a deer to feed the group. In case he was going to be attacked while he hunted, Dorcas accompanied him. Dorcas would also chop wood every other time the two left, keeping the fire going bright. The two seemed to be getting along well in Mark's eyes. Lyn sat a little ways away, laying back and looking at the stars. Kent was smiling contentedly as he oversaw an interaction between Serra and Sain. Serra seemed to have no idea what she was getting into, as the two's laughter could be heard across the campsite. Florina was also by that area. From what Mark could gather, she was trying to introduce herself to Serra, but kept shying away from Sain's overbearing presence. Reading this, Kent went up to her instead and made light conversation, to which Florina still seemed uncomfortable but not enough to run away.

Mark sat with Erk at the fire. Now and again when the fires started to die, they would take turns relighting it with magic. They were mostly reading in silence, but now and again would toss a ball of fire between themselves. Eventually, Erk closed his book and looked at Mark.

"Well at the very least, you seem well off." He said. "To be honest I expected to find your body dead in a ditch somewhere."

Mark let out a laugh. "You have no idea how close I was to that being the case Erk." Mark closed his book and put it away. "If it wasn't for Lyn, I'd certainly be dead by now."

Erk nodded sagely. "Is that why you feel the need to stay with her?"

Mark shrugged. "Maybe. Mostly I just enjoy spending time with everyone. It's probably the most fun I've ever had." Mark sighed and stole some fire from the campfire, twirling it between his fingers. "Well, I say probably, but I can't think of a time I've had more fun."

"What about when we set your uncle's cape on fire?" Erk said smirking.

Mark smiled, "If we weren't reprimanded so heavily by my dad afterwards, maybe that would win over." Slowly the smile on his face died. He felt like he needed to say something about why he left, why he didn't take Erk with him, but he couldn't bring himself to. The words simply weren't there. Instead, he just changed the subject. "Enough about me though, look at you!" Mark said enthusiastically, gesturing to Erk's body. He had grown a few inches, his face was more masculine, and his general muscle had increased. Mark was sure he'd only been gone for a few months now, so the change astounded him.

Erk stood up and struck a pose, looking down at Mark smugly and holding a pillar of fire and lightning in his left and right hand respectively. "Rather impressive, right?" Erk looked like he wanted to say more, but sat back down and put out his hands. "But, I already told you why. It's all because of teacher." Mark pinched himself mentally for forgetting, but kept the conversation rolling.

"Regardless, I'm impressed." Mark said sincerely. "Here I thought you'd do nothing with your life."

"High praise coming from you." Erk said, "But you could stand to leave the last bit of information out next time you compliment me."

"Aw, I think it adds to it." Mark said patting his friend on the back. "After all, the compliment's authenticity and meaning is increased when you understand just how little faith I had in you to begin with." Mark continued, knowingly provoking him.

Erk smiled. "I know what you're trying to do Mark, and I won't let you get to me." He folded his arms with pride. "After all, I am a working mage now. I'm a paid escort for nobility! You most certainly _should_ be impressed with how far I've come. Sooner or later I'll surpass you." He finished.

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He said. "You call yourself an escort? I would call you something else."

"Oh yeah?" Erk said, "Like what?"

Mark pointed to Serra and smiled at Erk. "Well from this angle, you look more like a whipping post to me." As if on cue, a slap resounded through the campsite, and Mark saw Serra heading their way in a huff. Erk noticeably jumped and quickly took out his book, pretending to be reading and deep in thought. Serra mumbled to herself and stood in front of both of them.

"Good evening Serra-" Mark started, but was immediately ignored.

"ERK!" She shouted at him, making him jump and almost drop his book in the fire.

"Gah, what do you want now?" Erk spat.

"That man over there asked me out to dinner at the next town we visit. Me! A noble woman! And he's nothing but a knight!" She folded her arms and looked to the side. "After I saved his life and everything…" She trailed off. Mark noted that she was still blushing and shooting glances over at Sain, who was still smiling. Perhaps she enjoyed the thought more than she wanted to admit. Suddenly she had an idea. She turned back to Erk, beaming. "I know!" She said happily. "You can go and set his clothes on fire for me! He would be exposed before the entire camp! It's the perfect revenge!" She said.

Erk blinked a few times. "Uhm… no." He said flatly. Serra lost her spark.

"Aw… why not?" She asked, heartbroken.

"Firstly, because that's not in my contract." Erk said, going back to his book. "Secondly, I have a sneaking suspicion that you just want to see him… uhm… exposed." He finished. He should never have said that.

Serra blushed even more as Sain howled with laughter in the distance. "W-W-WHAT?!" Serra shrieked, making everyone else at camp jump. Florina jumped so hard she ran to her pegasus and hid behind it, leaving poor Kent by himself. Lyn sat up and fumbled for her sword, before settling in again. Wil and Dorcas stopped mid bite of rabbit and raised an eyebrow before continuing. "Erk how could you even suggest such a thing!?" She yelled, slightly less loud. "Erk I am a _noble._ A _NOBLE!_ I Will not stand for this sort of suggestion from my escort!"

"So you'll fire me?" Erk said hopefully, before losing hope again. "Or will you keep me around because I'm apparently pleasant on the eyes?"

"The later, of course." Serra said, winking happily, apparently already over it.

"So, then, is it really too much of a stretch that you want to see Sain in a state of undress?" Erk said, still sighing as he spoke.

Serra blushed again and looked away. "Well, I guess not." She said quietly. She looked down for a moment. "...So can you _please_ go over there and-"

" _No,_ Serra." Erk said firmly. Serra whimpered a little.

"Well fine, then you're at least going to help me get ready for bed now. I have been told I am allowed to sleep in the tent tonight so you will now accompany me and keep watch over me through out the night."

"You're a grown woman Serra. You don't need my help to go to bed." Erk said, turning a page, still pretending to not be paying attention to the conversation.

"Erk you are my bodyguard-"

"Escort, actually."

"-And you will do your job by making sure nothing happens to me while I sleep!" Serra finished. Erk paused for a moment and stared at the fire murderously. Mark figured he was trying desperately to find an excuse not to have to join Serra in her tent for the night, but the restrains of his contract probably prevented him from doing anything that might put her in danger. Finding no way out of it, he closed his eyes in irritation and slammed his book closed.

"Fine. Lets go." He said, standing up and reluctantly offering a hand.

Serra instead opted for his whole arm, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Yay!" She said happily. "I get to sleep with Erk tonight!"

"Don't phrase it like that please…" together the two walked to the tent. Erk shot Mark a look of pain as he walked away, to which Mark replied with a toothy grin and a thumbs up. Erk rolled his eyes as he was dragged into the tent. Now sitting at the fire alone, Mark continued his reading with a smile on his face. He was glad to see Erk again, after all, he figured he never would. He still felt obligated to explain himself more. He got the sense there was something he was missing. Something other than Erk's appearance had changed, and Mark couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Eventually, the fire died in front of him and he took it as a sign that it was time to sleep. He closed his book and yawned. Looking around, Kent was the only one still awake. Mark sleepily walked over to him and quietly greeted him.

"Good evening Kent." He said, rubbing his eyes. They hurt slightly from all the reading he'd found himself doing since he started his trip.

"I believe it may be morning by now." Kent said, looking at the stars. "I am keeping watch tonight. Please, get some rest."

Mark nodded. "Ok. Before that, what is on the agenda for tomorrow? I assume more marching."

Kent smiled warmly. "You are in luck, tomorrow we should reach the city of Araphen and officially enter the Lycian border. Supposedly there will be aide for us there. I imagine we will be spending the entire day there once we arrive." This was great news in Mark's mind. The group could certainly travel more on their current morale and resources, but a bolstering certainly wouldn't hurt either.

"Wonderful." Mark said blissfully, already imagining the soft bed he hadn't felt in months. "Wake me up on time this time, I will help destruct camp. Where am I sleeping?" Kent pointed near the fire. Dorcas, Wil, Sain, Lyn, and Florina were all laid out in a row a little ways away from each other. Mark nodded and began to shuffle over. "Thanks Kent. Don't work yourself too hard." Mark found a spot all the way on the left, nearest to Dorcas, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit Earth.

* * *

"Wake up Mark." he heard a deep voice say flatly. Mark cracked his eyes open, taking in the harsh sunlight and saw Dorcas sitting in front of him, offering him a flask. Mark slowly sat up, blinking to get used to the light, and took a quick drink of the cool water.

"Mmm. Thank's Dorcas." Mark said, stretching out and handing back the flask. "What's the current plan?" He asked.

Dorcas shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I was just told by Lady Lyn to wake you up." Dorcas looked down awkwardly at his flask. "Now that I've done that, I'm not sure what we're doing. Everything is packed and ready to go though." Mark looked around and saw that everyone was packed up and ready except for him. He picked Kent out of the group and shouted to him.

"Hey, Kent, I told you not to let me sleep in this time!" He said. Kent turned and gave a sly shrug.

"You seemed tired. I thought it best that you rest longer." He said.

"I also tried a new sleep spell on you, and we had trouble waking you up as a result!" Serra said cheerfully, waving to grab Marks attention.

"You used a sleep spell on me… while I was already sleeping?" Mark asked. That made no sense. "How do you know if it even worked?"

"Well, you stopped moving in your sleep." Wil said, smiling awkwardly. "So, there's that."

"After a little while your heart actually stopped too." Dorcas said, scratching the back of his neck. "Geez, that was scary, let me tell ya."

"But I saved your life!" Serra said, holding up her staff. "So you owe me now!"

"Not if you're the reason I was dying in the first place." Mark said, feeling calm despite being told he almost died overnight. Maybe he was just too tired to fully process how angry he should be at that moment.

"Anyways, now that you're awake we can set out!" Lyn said, standing tall and proud. "We're almost in Lycia friends. From there this should be easy!" This elicited a cheer from the group, and soon they were on their way. This time around, Mark gave everyone a marching formation, in case they were to be attacked on the road. Unable to use the mounts to travel anymore since there were too many members of the legion, they became more like mules, carrying the groups belongings on their backs and being guided by their owners. This ment the group was led by Kent, Sain, and Florina, not only due to their mounts, but because Kent and Sain were still the guides of the group, leading them into Lycia. The next line was Lyn, Serra, and Dorcas. With Serra in the middle, the formation was meant to be a form of protection for her, which Mark had suggested. She was guarded by the frontline fighters, Dorcas and Lyn, in case the group was to be attacked from the side. The idea was that if the people on the outside were hit, Serra would be able to heal them immediately and they'd be none the worse for wear. However, if Serra was hit, it would be significantly harder for her to heal others until she dealt with herself, which she may not have the chance to do in the heat of battle. The final line was composed of the remaining three, Mark, Wil, and Erk. The thought process for this line was the simplest: The three of them had the most range, and the least defenses. They would simply be most effective in the back.

As they marched, Wil turned to Erk. "So, Erk, you're a mage right?"

"No, I'm an armored knight." Erk said sarcastically. "Yes, I'm a mage."

Wil laughed, "Hahaha, yes I suppose that's a stupid question. One look and it's pretty obvious. I just wanted to know something." Wil tilted his head. "Both you and Mark are mages, but I've seen him use a sword. I know you guys said you grew up together, so I figured you'd use one too but I don't see one on you. Why is that?"

Erk thought about how to answer that for a moment. "Well, I suppose I just never cared about the sword. Magic came much more easily to me. You didn't need to spend hours sweating over a training dummy in the blazing sun, you could simply relax in a stone room, drinking tea. It was an easy choice at the time."

Wil nodded. "I see. So, you didn't learn the sword because you're lazy?"

Mark laughed as Erk blushed and turned to Wil, "How did you reach that conclusion?!" He said.

Wil raised his hands defensively. "I'm sorry, it's just how you phrased it. Didn't you say you'd rather sit in your room and read rather than train for the sword?"

"That _is_ what you said Erk." Mark goaded. Erk's eyebrow twitched a moment before he regained his composure.

"I'm goign to assume you didn't know this, Wil, but magic is its own form of intense training. I was not simply, 'reading', I was training my body and mind little by little to accept the arcane. It takes energy to throw a ball of fire, just as it takes energy to swing a sword. It's just a different kind of energy. When I first began, I could only use three or four spells before almost blacking out from exhaustion. Now, I can cast as many spells as I want, and I hardly break a sweat." Erk said proudly.

"What Erk isn't telling you," Mark said, pulling Wil's attention, "is that he's talking about using beginner level spells. I imagine if he were to use intermediate spells all day, he'd only last about an hour or so."

"I-Its all about how you use the spells though." Erk countered, blushing. "If all a battle calls for is beginner level spells, then why over exert yourself? If I need to use anything more advanced I will, I'll just need a rest sometime later."

Wil nodded, soaking in the information. "I see. Well, what about that spell you used the other night Mark? The uh… decimation level one. What spell level is that?"

Mark bit his lip, still not fully comfortable with his actions that night. Yet, he was feeling at least slightly better about the whole thing, so he told him. "That was an advanced spell. There are two spell levels above that, Learned, and Master levels. Learned spells are grand feats capable of destroying entire villages and small cities. They can only be learned by mages that have completed literally everything that can be taught through training."

"They're that strong?" Wil said, open mouthed.

Erk nodded and continued. "Yes, but there are heavy laws against using them in crowded areas. There are designated plots of land in Etruria for mages to prove they've learned everything. I know it sounds impressive, but what you should really fear is Master level magic." Erk readjusted his shirt as if it was hard for him to breathe as he looked to the ground. "I am one who places his entire being in the magical arts. I study them, pursue they're hidden depths and exploit everything I can about the knowledge. But Master level spells… scare me." He said.

Mark nodded in agreement. "It's certainly not something to mess around with. Essentially, a Master level spell can only be learned by a mage who has completely given himself to the arcane. Throughout history there are only a few mages who have managed to create such spells, and each of them have made a unique spell. For instance, a thousand years ago, the hero Bramimond was responsible for creating the portal that sent the dragons from our world after the Scouring. _That_ is a Master level spell."

Wil shook his head. "I don't know, it just doesn't sound as impressive as destroying an entire town."

Erk chuckled. "If that's more your style, another mage to make a Master level spell was from thousands of years ago, named Thranicus. Let me ask you this, Wil, do you know the Nabata Desert?"

Wil nodded. "Of course. What about it?"

"Well," Erk continued, "Records indicate that the desert we all know as Nabata was once a thriving nation by the same name. In fact, great hordes of knowledge were said to be lost when the nation fell. And, of course, the nation fell because of Thranicus. His Master level spell was crafted due to his thirst for revenge against the king, who rejected his teachings and suggestions. To spite the king, he vowed to destroy the entire nation. Long story short, despite no one thinking he could fall such a great nation, he most certainly did. Scorched the whole thing into ash, leaving a gaping hole in the world for a few centuries. Eventually the desert was formed, and the nation of Nabata was lost. Some speculate that parts of the nation remain under the sands, but since Nabata is such a death trap both naturally and with desert bandits, none are foolish enough to try and find out for themselves."

Wil silently looked at the ground as they walked in silence after the story. The story of Thranicus was commonly taught to mages not to make them fear their powers, but to hold sight of their humanity. As long as one can look at his tale and know just how horrible it was, they wouldn't let themselves be corrupted by their research. If they looked at the tale and more saw the beauty and awesome power that he used rather than the tragic loss of life, they may already be too far gone. The three continued to walk in silence. Eventually, they almost walked into the group in front of them. They had stopped, and in front of them was the city of Araphen.

* * *

Mark quietly walked around the city by himself. The group had split up to buy what they need as Kent and Sain rode ahead to the castle to notify the marquess of their arrival. According to them, Marquess Araphen had already agreed to lend support to the new heir of Caelin. As Mark went from vendor to vendor, he realized how much he had missed cities. His original journey had plotted out visiting quite a few after his trek through Sacae. As far as cities went, Araphen was well kept and easy to navigate. However, it gave off an aura like it was trying to hard to prove it was a great city, at least, that's what Mark thought. Now and again he would pass statues and fountains that had nothing objectively great about them, but seemed to be lauded with plaques and tourist propaganda saying just how great they were. _If they need to talk about how great they are, that means they aren't that great._ Mark thought to himself, every time he happened to come across more public art.

Eventually, after buying several books and a few pocket knives, all of which he put in his coat, he went back towards the castle were everyone was supposed to meet up. The only one there so far was Lyn.

"Hey Mark!" She said, calling to him and waving. "Over here!" She beckoned him over. He smiled and jogged up lightly to meet her. "Got everything you need?" She asked.

Mark nodded and opened up his coat. "Yeah, some new books and some knives, just in case. What about you?" He asked back.

Lyn shrugged and gestured to a few vulneraries tied tightly to her belt. "I didn't think I needed much in terms of weapons since I have the sacred blade, so I only got some potions." She looked back up at him and smiled. "So, you and Erk knew each other? Was he the friend whose name you wouldn't tell me weeks ago?"

Mark blushed and scratched his head. "You still remember that huh?" He sighed. "I don't know why I didn't tell you, looking back on it. I had no reason not to. I just don't like talking about the past, I guess."

Lyn nodded. "I've gathered. But that's alright! I don't like talking about the past either, really." She looked down towards her feet. "Most of it was happy, I know, but the ending was just so abrupt…" She trailed off. Mark remained silent, unsure how to respond to that. Luckily, he didn't have to, as Lyn recomposed herself. "Besides, I've still got family, and I've still got friends! I won't let it keep my down!" She said, as if convincing herself.

"Of course. We've got you every step of the way." Mark reassured. He looked over to the castle. "Any word from our brave knights yet?" He asked.

Lyn looked over at the castle nervously. "No, not yet."

Mark noticed her look. "Nervous?"

"No!" She insisted, looking at him. He stared at her flatly. She fidgeted with her sword, still in the shethe. "M-Maybe. I've just never been in front of nobility before, and I'm also from Sacae so I have no idea how to act with a Marquess."

Mark laughed. "That's all? I was worried for a moment."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean? Is it not as big a deal as I thought?"

Mark shook his head. "No, no it's a big deal, but I can teach you what to do!" He said happily.

Lyn's face lit up. "Really? You know how to act with nobility? How?" Mark awkwardly looked away. Lyn shook her head and corrected herself. "Right, the past. Sorry. I won't ask again. The important thing is just that you know how right?"

Mark smiled again and put a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, that's the important part. Alright, so, first off, when you walk in…" Mark spent the next half hour giving Lyn a brief rundown of how to act like a noble. She was a fast and attentive learner, asking good questions and repeating his actions perfectly the third or fourth time around. The rest of the legion started to file in. First to come back was Florina, who smiled at the lesson and then walked a few steps away, sitting down with her pegasus and feeding it fresh carrots that she had just bought. Next to come back was Dorcas, who apparently hadn't bought anything. He watched Lyn's lesson for a little while before sitting down with Florina, who after initially, inching away, actually seemed to be enjoying a conversation with him. It made sense to Mark. Dorcas might look intimidating but he was a big softie. Next to come back was Wil, whose quiver was fully restocked. He had two apples in each hand and was happily munching away, joining Florina and Dorcas. Eventually, he fed the rest of his first apple to Florina's pegasus. The last ones to arrive were Erk and Serra. Erk was carrying several bags worth of food and jewelry. Apparently Serra had more money on her than Mark had initially believed, because she definitely wasn't given that much. Serra was chatting away and Erk pretended to listen. It didn't appear like he had bought anything.

"I think I'm ready." Lyn said confidently. "Thanks Mark! Seems like you've saved me yet again."

Mark bowed as he had learned to his whole life. "By all means, it was my pleasure Lady Lyndis." He smiled as Lyn laughed. He looked to the castle. "But regardless of how nice that was, shouldn't the knights be back yet?" It was at that moment that a lone figure with a sword came forth from a simple wooden door in the castle. He slowly approached them.

"Maybe it's a messenger…?" Lyn said. She adjusted her belt. "Alright. I've got this!" She started walking forward to meet him. The rest followed suit. When they arrived, Lyn bowed just like Mark had shown her. "My name is Lyndis, heir to the Caelin throne. May I… inquire… if you are a messenger of this castle?" Mark quietly made notes to tell her later. Like how she accented the wrong syllable of inquire.

The man scratched his chin. "Oh, so you're Lyndis? That makes this easy then." Before Mark's eyes, the man quickly lifted his sword and began to swing down onto Lyn's head. Lyn was too shocked to make a move. So was Mark. He heard everyone behind him scramble for their weapons. Mark grabbed his fire tome from his coat and heard a sickening thud. He looked up in horror, but was surprised to see the man falling backwards, and arrow through his neck. Mark looked back at Wil. Wil raised his hands in confusion, his bow still on his back. When Mark looked back, a tall man with a bow on horseback was at Lyn's side. He turned to her and looked down at her curiously. She couldn't even speak yet. The man nodded and began to slowly ride towards the castle. "Forgive me." He said. "I thought you were a woman of the plains, but you said you were heir to the Caelin throne correct? You should be more careful with that information."

"W-Wait!" Lyn said, raising an hand after him. "I am from the plains!"

The man turned around. His eyes narrowed. "What tribe?"

"The Lorca!" Lyn said proudly. "I am Lyn… Lyndis of the Lorca tribe. Who are you?"

The man looked down for a moment. "I didn't know anyone from the Lorca survived. Is it just you…?" Lyn looked down sadly.

"No, but… the others sought other lives. I am the last Lorca."

The man nodded. "I see." He raised his bow in a salute to her. "This place is about to become a battleground, Lyndis of the Lorca. Allow me, Rath of the Kutolah tribe, to keep you safe."

 **A/N Sometimes, I think to myself, "Nah I won't write tonight, I'll just sleep." But honestly, I wanted so much to write while I was at school but had no time so it's all coming out now. I DOUBT there will be another chapter before christmas, but there WILL be at least one more (maybe two) before year's end. I ran this chapter through a spell check real quick but im too tired to re-read it so I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping its only a few mistakes here and there. Thanks for reading guys. Happy holidays. - Matt**


	10. Tentative ally

Immediately after Rath introduced himself and offered his service, troops began to file out of the castle. After a quick look around, Mark realized they were vastly out-manned. He gulped. This was going to be a rough one. He shook his head in order to snap back into reality.

"Everyone, gather around!" He said forcefully, forgetting to switch off his mannerisms again after teaching them all to Lyn. Everyone, including Rath though he did give Mark a look, got closer into the huddle.

"Rath you know this area the best." Mark said, gesturing for him to speak. "What do you suggest."

Rath cleared his throat. "There are three triggers hidden outside of the castle to over-ride the main gate and force it open. If we do that, we can offer assistance to the main force inside."

Mark nodded. "Understood. Then the first plan should be to find those triggers. Any idea where they are?"

"There is one at the southern entrance, and two at the northern." Rath said, gesturing at the locations. "There are less foes at the southern entrance." The troops from the castle were getting even closer. The townsfolk had already abandoned the streets. Mark watched as the last of them locked the giant wooden door behind him, sealing off the northern entrance. If they waited much longer, the whole place would soon be impossible to enter.

Mark nodded grimmly. "Alright. A simple split off then. Some of us will go south, but most of us will go north."

"If I may." Serra interjected, raising a hand.

"What?" Mark said flatly, annoyed at being cut off before he could assign groups.

"Did I understand correctly that if we open the gate, we are to do _more_ fighting inside?"

Mark blinked. "Yes. They've taken the castle, it seems, so of course. Araphen is helping Lyn on her way to the throne, so it's only natural we return the favor. Is that a problem with you Serra?"

"Yes." She said, still serious.

"That sucks." Said Dorcas, hefting his axe to his shoulder and yawning. "But seems like we gotta do it. Aint that right Florina?" He said, patting her on the back. Florina stumbled forward but nodded and smiled.

"Y-yeah!" She said, managing a squeak of a war cry. Seems like the two were getting along well.

"Ok great!" Mark quickly said, bringing attention back to himself. The enemy was almost upon them. They'd have to fight the front force before even splitting up. "We're going to have to fight those guys together," He pointed, "but after that, Kent, Sain, Erk, and Lyn, you guys are heading south. Give them hell. The rest of you will join me in taking the northern building back. Agreed?" Everyone nodded except for Serra, who was still mad that fighting was going to occur inside as well as out. "Perfect. We'll use the same formation as when we marched. Rath, you're in back with us." Mark said, turning around and pulling out his tome to face the approaching front line. As he walked to the back line, Erk jogged up to him.

"Hey, Mark." He said, grabbing Mark's attention.

"What?" Mark snapped, chiding himself for letting his nerves get the better of him. He took a deep breath. "...What?" He tried again, easing up on his friend.

Erk ignored the hostilities, "Want to play that game we always played?" Erk said, scratching his head. "You know, the one when we were practicing as kids."

"... The one where whoever has less pages in their tome by the end of the fight wins?" Mark asked. That was tactically unwise. Ideally you'd want to keep as many pages as possible so you'd have more flexibility to approach more situations.

"Yes, that one!" Erk said smiling. The enemy was engaging Kent, Sain, and Florina, but Erk kept smiling at Mark.

"No." Mark answered flatly and began to fire off carefully placed blasts of flame through his friends and into the front line. Serra was meditating in the center, staff aglow with magic. It was odd to see her so quiet and concentrating, Mark thought. Even though he'd only known her for a few days, he was pretty much sure he already knew everything about her that he needed to. Erk and he were similar, it's only natural they would dislike the same kind of person. That being said, Erk had it was worse, so Mark could tolerate her for now. Anyways, shaking these thoughts from his mind, Mark simply noted that Serra was doing her job and moved on. Soon, the advance force was cleaned up with little injury. Dorcas had taken a few significant cuts, though, and was leaned up against a wall.

"Aw geez." He grumbled to himself, holding his side. "That's a pain."

"I've got it!" Serra said in a sing-song voice, skipping over to him. When she got there though, she frowned. "Oh, wow, ok that's pretty bad. This will take a while." She got to work, meditating over him.

"Alright, Dorcas, come with her to the north when you're ready. Everyone else, split up like I said and lets open that gate!" Mark shot a pillar of fire into the sky and the group cheered. Already though, Mark noted, there was some serious fatigue throughout the group. Rath was fine, still holding a confident air, but he and Wil were grimly scavenging the bodies of the advance force for usable arrows. Even though they had full quivers at the start, they were almost out. Sain was panting heavily and sweating like an animal. He had only just recovered from serious illness, so it's not like it was surprising, but it concerned him. Lyn was still obviously a bit shaken from the first man's sudden attack on her. Her sword trembled slightly in her hands and her eyes were wide. _It's technically her first political assassination attempt._ Mark thought to himself. _Well… At least it was only an attempt._ Florina was doing lazy circles in the sky, waiting for the group to split. Her pegasus had a few cuts, but she was unscathed. Finally, Kent was obviously not getting enough sleep. Even though battle had just occurred, he looked ready to fall over from exhaustion.

Trying his best to convince himself it was alright to send these people into battle, Mark gave the signal and the group split and ran in their respective directions. Once Mark and his team were by the northern entrance, hell immediately broke loose. Rath passed all of his arrows to Wil, and together they rode on Rath's horse like crazed beasts, shouting and shooting arrows to cause disturbances among the enemy. With Rath focusing so much on riding, no one could catch them. Florina was doing her usual hit and run routine, taking out weak or isolated troops like a bird of prey might. Mark wished Dorcas and Serra were her, because since they weren't…

Mark took out his sword, set it on fire, and charged. Since Doracs wasn't here, Mark was the front line. This was not good, to say the least. It's not that Mark couldn't handle himself, but he also couldn't take many hits before he was down for the count. Normally, thats why Serra would be there but, well, obviously she wasn't. Focusing in, Mark carefully observed the ten men and women in armor staring back at him. He quickly lifted his hand and shot two fireballs and the units with the heaviest armor, sending them back and forcing them to try and rip their armor off as fast as possible. This sent the remaining eight directly at him. Unsure what entirely to do, Mark charged the right most soldier and fought them. She was a lance user, starting with a quick sweep at Mark legs. Mark jumped and kicked her in the gut, causing her to take a step back and keel over for the moment. Before he could attack her again, another soldier had caught up to him. This time a swordsman, he started with an overhead swing. Mark raised his sword to block and wanted to move on to the attack, but was hard pressed to do so. The man's assault was relentless, and endless barrage of raw, forceful swings with no purpose other than to apply pressure. It was a good strategy to, the others were soon on top of Mark.

Suddenly, he remembered. _The knives!_ He thought. He'd bought them for just such an occasion. He quickly pulled one out and dodged the next swing, throwing a quick punch to stab the man in the neck. The man grasped at it, falling backwards and rolling on the ground. Mark quickly threw another at the soldier he'd knocked down earlier, hitting her in the arm. Six left. They were all on him. Mark tried to pull out his tome but he never got the chance. All of his attention was focused on dodging. _Please, someone, be done taking out the rest soon!_ He thought in desperation as he twisted and ran away, trying his best to remain unscathed. Finally, someone got him, cutting him on the back of the leg. Mark cried out, falling to the ground. He wasted no time in trying to get back up and run again, but it was futile. He turned around and held his sword warily. Getting a quick stab into one soldier who was a tad too overzealous now that he was wounded, Mark stared down the remaining five. Before they all charged him again, an axe suddenly buried into one of the soldier's sides. Mark quickly used the confusion to take out his tome and chant a quick spell, sending a small burst of flame onto two of the soldiers. Two left. Dorcas quickly started taking on both of them and Mark breathed a sigh of relief. He never wanted that role again.

Serra ran up to him. "I'll take care of your leg if you'll tell me how great I am!" She said happily.

"Just do it regardless." Mark said hoarsely. Serra pouted at him. "...You're great. Fix my leg." Serra happily closed her eyes and hummed as she got to work. Once Mark's leg was better, he stood up and rejoined the fray. There weren't many others left to clean up, on the outside of the northern building at least. Once they were, Mark and the others approached the door.

"Hey, there isn't much left in this staff." Serra said seriously, pointing to the orb at the end, which was significantly more cloudy than earlier. "I don't think the fight inside is a good idea still." Mark looked at her flatly. _She's probably only mentioning this because she doesn't want to._ He thought. _But, if she's that low on magic, she's also right. It probably isn't a good idea._ Mark walked up to the wooden door and tried the handle. Nothing. It was locked, just like he thought. The switches were inside according to Rath, likely guarded by a whole other platoon of soldiers. A quick survey of his group, and Mark saw they weren't ready for it.

"If only he had just one more guy to help us out…" He heard. Mark blinked. He shook his head. _Huh?_ He thought. He looked around. _Who the hell-_ "If only!" The voice cried dramatically. "If only some young, handsome, and overall charismatic thief could aide this poor group of wounded fighters." Mark continued to look around him. He couldn't find the source of the voice. "Well fear not anymore friends, because your prayers have been heard, _and_ answered." Finally Mark looked up. Sitting on the roof was a young man in a red cloak. He had brown hair, was sitting with his elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his hand, and had a lopsided grin. He stood up, bowed, and jumped to the ground, landing a perfect roll. He popped back up right in front of Mark and stuck out a hand.

Mark, overwhelmed at his point, gave up on logic and took it. "I'm sorry, who are you?" He asked the man, who laughed.

"I'm Matthew. Pleasure." He was looking Mark directly in the eyes. Mark looked back, expecting more.

"...and?" He prompted.

Matthew's eyebrow creased in confusion. "Uh… I'm here to help. I'm a thief. I can get the door open. And I'm good with a knife, so I can help there too. That's really all there is to it." Mark's eyes narrowed. That was not, in any way, 'all there was to it'.

"I'm sorry, but there's no way we can let a thief into our group." Mark said. "That's just unreasonable. You could just run off with all our gold."

Matthew's eyes lit up. "I can? Really?"

Mark shook his head, way too mentally and physically exhausted to have this conversation. "No, I meant you 'can' as is in it's a possibility that if we let you in now you'll take our stuff and run later on."

Matthew was obviously hurt by this statement. "See, now that's just prejudice. I swear, tell a guy that you're a thief and suddenly all you want is gold. Really though, I genuinely want to help."

"Why?" Mark asked, still wary.

Matthew shrugged. "Because I do. Now, are we going to get this door open or what?" Mark was too tired and too desperate to question him further. He raised his hand in defeat and gestured to the door. Matthew smiled like a kid on his birthday and started to lock-pick the door. "This will only take a second…" He said, concentration written on his face. Soon, everyone heard a click, and the door was unlocked. Matthew put away his tools and took out two middle length dueling knives. "See told you I'm useful." He held a sudden devilish glint in his eye and raised his blade. "Want to see what else I'm good at?"

* * *

The inside was closely guarded, as expected. Mark sent Matthew in first, to sneak around and scout the area. One look at how he composed himself, and Mark could tell that Matthew was obviously good at it. A little too good, in Mark's eyes. He got the sense that all of this was way too convenient. Mark needs someone to lock-pick the door, and suddenly, he's there. It didn't sit right with him at all. Matthew was clearly after _something_ and Mark wanted to know what. Hopefully, after today, he'd just disappear. Soon, he was back. He held up a blue cloak.

"Who wants and angelic robe, eh? What about you healer girl, here." He said, tossing it to Serra.

"You stole from the castle?" Rath said angrily.

Matthew grinned sheepishly and shrugged with raised hands. "Hey, what can I say, it was there for the taking. Besides, these are the bad guys right? No big deal."

"I agree." Serra said happily, holding her new acquisition. She chanted a few things under her breath, and suddenly the robe glowed a bright blue before turning into a mist. Serra held out a hand and slowly the mist worked its way onto her clothes and into her respiratory system. He clothes now blue, she took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. She opened her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and yelled. "I'm ready to take on the world now! Thanks Matthew!" She blew him a kiss.

Matthew sighed and rolled his eyes but he caught the kiss and put it in his pocket. He turned to Mark. "Anyways, you're right, the whole things heavily guarded. If we immediately break left though, that's where the switches are."

Mark thought about it. A blitz might be called for in this situation, but he wanted to be sure. "How many are there, specifically."

Matthew grimaced slightly. "A bit too many in my opinion. There's ten spread around the room, two by the door where the first switch is, none by the other door. It's probably best if we just try to avoid the main group. We've already fought a lot."

"Yeah, _we've_ already fought a lot." Wil said sarcastically. " _You_ just got here."

Matthew laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, I'm sure my point still stands." It did. Mark looked around his exhausted friends. Hopefully the other group was doing alright. _No, focus here and now first._ He thought. Finally, after a lot of contemplation, he raised his head.

"I have a tentative plan." He said. The others remained quiet. "Florina won't be great in-doors, and Rath and Wil only have how many arrows left?"

"Six." Wil said grimly.

"Exactly." Mark continued. "That's bad enough that I don't even think a blitz would work."

"I-I'm sorry." Florina said meekly, leaning on her spear.

Mark raised a hand to assure her it was fine. "Thus, my plan goes like this. One or two of us will draw all of their attention and lead them out here. Once they're all out, Matthew is going to slip in and flip the switches. By doing this, it will cause confusion in their ranks and make them retreat deeper into the castle. If the gate's gone, they're gone. Dorcas, Serra?" He pointed to them. "Grab their attention. Rath and Wil, post yourselves on either side of the door and ready an arrow for anyone you can pick out. Matthew, be ready to sneak in." Everyone nodded and got into position. Mark pulled out his tome, nodded to Dorcas and Serra, and began to chant.

Dorcas kicked the door open and grunted as he threw an axe at the nearest, soon dead soldier. "Hahahahaha!" Serra laughed triumphantly, striking a pose and raising her staff. "Evil is smited once again! Now to go home for tea." She quickly ran out of there, soon followed by Dorcas. Yelling could be heard soon followed by the sound of marching boots. Mark finished his chanting and shot a small pillar of fire through the doorway. He heard a few confirming screams and readied his sword. The first few started by attacking Dorcas before being taken out but Florina. Dorcas raised a hand as Florina flew passed, and they shared a high five. The rest poured out faster than anyone could react to, and everyone soon found themselves in a duel. Mark was fighting a knight in heavy armor, a perfect match up. Mark danced around him, sending a fireball into his face now and again, swiftly dodging the slow man's attacks. It was long and tiresome work, but Mark eventually felled the man by using enough light spells. Panting, he saw his friend were worse off.

Wil was out of arrows and had hopped back onto Rath's horse. Together the two rose around, drawing as much attention while staying unhurt as they could. Florina was grounded, desperately fighting against two swordsmen. Dorcas had a knife in his side and was fighting another axeman. Serra was fending off a mage with her staff. Before Mark could help anyone though, he heard the sound of a distant horn. The enemy soldiers immediately snapped to attention and ran back inside.

"The gates down!" One of them yelled. "Help support the main force!" Mark staggered over to the rest of his friends, panting heavily. Together they collapsed and waited for Matthew to come back as Serra healed their wounds. If the gate was down, that meant the southern team was successful as well. The thought was a great comfort on Mark's mind. Just as Serra finished up, her staff's glass topping shattered.

"Oh shoot." She pouted. "I'll have to have Erk buy me a new one." She flopped to the floor and layed down, as exhausted as the rest. Mark wasn't entirely sure how they pulled it off, but they had. The castle was soon going to belong to the marquess again. Rath stood.

"I must go and help. I would ask for your assistance, if you could bring yourself to after all of this." He said, bowing with respect.

Mark nodded. "Go on guys. I'll be right there." The rest shuffled off and Mark waited for Matthew to return. Eventually, he did, a new string of pearls hanging from his neck.

"Hey, where are the others? Aren't you going to help them inside?" Matthew asked.

"Of course. I just wanted to talk to you first."

"Oh, alright. What about? I was good right? I can go with you guys right?" Matthew said enthusiastically.

"You were good Matthew. Great even." Mark said. "That's what scares me." Silence. "What are you after, Matthew?" Mark's heart raced. It was possible that Etruria had finally caught up with him again after he ditched him in Sacae. Mark silently cursed himself for getting involved in all of this, even though he knew he shouldn't have.

Matthew laughed. "What am I after?" He looked Mark dead in the eyes. "I'm serious Mark. I want to help. It's what I want to do, honest. Which, by the way, is really good because that also aligns with what certain other people want me to do."

Mark gulped. It was like he feared. Matthew was hired by someone. Something bothered him much more though. "...I never told you my name."

Matthew smiled. "I know you didn't. Listen, it's not about you, I promise. As far as we all know, I don't know you. I'm here for other reasons."

Mark shook his head. "Why are you even telling me all this? You could easily deny any of this, and I'd probably believe you."

Matthew scowled. "Oh come on, no you wouldn't. You're a cautious man, you'd always have your doubts. So, I'm telling you as much as I can right now so that you can _trust_ me. I really do want to help Lyndis succeed, and I _promise_ you, you aren't even on my radar."

Mark sighed, defeated. "Then why do you even know me?" He asked.

"I don't even need to answer that do I? I mean, how could I not know you?"

"...No, I guess you don't need to answer." Mark stood up. "I still don't like this."

"Mark I _swear_. I'm not a threat to you. Or to your friends, and especially not to Lyndis. Let me help. Eh?" Matthew had abandoned the cheeriness and playfulness in his tone and switched to all business. He looked at Mark determined and stuck out a hand. "If I do anything wrong, I'll let you throw me out in an instant, no questions asked, no hard feelings. I'm here to be a benefit, not an detriment. A lot of people want Lyndis to succeed. What do you say? Can you trust me?"

Mark looked back and forth from Matthew's face to his hand. No, he couldn't trust him, not at all. He wasn't even sure why _knowing_ that he was a spy was supposed to make Mark feel better about the whole thing. "I…" He started. Matthew looked at him, plain truth written on his face. "I don't think I can trust you, no." Silence. Eventually, Mark tentatively shook Matthew's hand. "But… you wouldn't tell me you were a spy… unless you really don't mean harm." He looked Matthew directly in the eye for the next part. "I do want you to know though, I _will_ be watching you closely. You know that right?"

Matthew nodded. "And I completely understand too. I expect my actions to speak for me." Matthew bowed at the waist. "I hope we can both tuck this conversation into our memories and put it aside. Lets just work to what we both want: Lyndis on the Caelin throne. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

 **A/N: Im tired. It's late. I promised a chapter before years end. Thanks for reading guys. Now that the holidays are over, I have the rest of break to work on this as much as I can before school inevitably destroys me again. Hearts 3. Happy New Year. I'll see you again soon.**

 **EDIT: Fixed a bunch of small errors.**


	11. Inescapable truth

Mark and Matthew soon rejoined the others inside the castle, making their way over the piles of the wounded and dead soldiers. By the time they had reached the throne room, the final battle was unfolding. The only ones still fighting were Lyndis's legion themselves. Serra had picked up a new staff, and Wil and Rath were restocked on arrows. Mark assumed they found an armory and decided the situation warranted taking them. Lyn, Sain, Kent, and Erk were all there as well, looking relatively unscatched from their fight at the souther entrance. Mark quickly noted that something was clearly bothering the knight duo, but he put it aside as a voice rang out.

"Stand your ground men! Kill the lying scoundrel who claims to be the granddaughter of the marquess!" Yelled a large enemy in heavy armor, raising his spear as he joined the fray alongside his soldiers. Mark felt a chill go down his spine as the enemy rushed them all. He never even had a chance to call out direction other than one word.

"Attack!" He yelled as loud as he could, eliciting a cheer. Mark had wondered who these people were up until now. He knew they had to be trained men, not just the bandit's or ruffians they'd been encountering up until now. They were clearly more poised, more battle hardened. Now, after what the enemy commander had shouted, Mark had his guesses. The thought almost made him be impaled by lance, as he wasn't paying attention at all. Snapping back into reality, Mark threw a knife into the knee of the man who just tried to stab him, following up by bringing his own knee into the man's face, knocking him out. Mark quickly pulled out his sword and surveyed the battlefield.

Chaos reigned. The banners on the walls were torn as stray swings cut them down, the chandeliers were shaking and swaying violently as a battle between Florina and several pegasus knights took place in the rafters. Parts of the castle were lighting on fire, as stray fireballs and flaming arrows missed their marks. Arrows flew up toward the pegasus battle, making it even more deadly to the participants, any that missed either lodging in the ceiling or coming back down and hitting those on the ground. Mark quickly lit his sword and fire and dashed towards their back line, trying to flank their mages and healers from the side. He was quickly taken up by several swordsmen, who saw his approach and cut him off. As he started fighting them, he yelled.

"This is too many! I need some support!" Mark continued to lose ground, hard pressed to find an opening to fight back or even run from this many foes. Soon his back would be against the wall behind him. He felt sweat work it's way down his face as he contemplated the fact that he might die here and now, when suddenly one of the men lit on fire. The man crumpled to the floor screaming, almost setting the others on fire as he rolled along the floor. With such a distraction, Mark got the opening he needed, and pulled out his tome. "Thanks Erk!" He yelled out as he ran through the new gap towards the enemies back line again. Mark began to chant a spell. He cursed himself in thought for what he was about to do.

"Mark what are you doing?!" He heard Wil cry as he ducked and weaved through enemies, still chanting. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and he dropped his book. He looked to his side and saw his shoulder had been impaled by a stray arrow that had fallen from the ceiling. As he stood still, someone made a small cut in his side. This brought him back to the present, and he ran on towards the back, unable to find his tome where he dropped it, but already knowing the rest of the spell. He had memorized the end of most of the spells in the book, for just such a case. Continuing to mumble the spell under his breath, he hobbled to the back line. Finally, he had made it.

Lifting the arm that didn't make him scream out in pain if he moved it, he finished the spell. He felt a deep pain in his side again, as a new sword entered him. He winced deeply, but kept himself focused. Finally he shouted the command phrase, "Fire of the Dragon's pride, turn my foes to nothingness" and swiped his arm in horizontal motion along the enemy's back line. Following the movement of his arm, a flame akin to a snake devoured the entire line of foes, killing some instantly, and sending the rest into a panic before they met a slow and painful demise.

"Wh-what have you done?!" Yelled the enemy commander, gazing in horror at the scene. He lifted his spear. "Men! Kill that mage and make him pay for what he's done!" Mark turned around, battered, to see the entire enemy fleet approaching him. Mark smiled as death approached, thinking he had done his job. _There are worse ways to die other than helping the people you care about._ He thought solemnly, closing his eyes. He felt a heavy impact on his side and soon felt wind rush through his hair. He opened his eyes to see a flurry of purple hair, and white wings.

"Ha… eheheh… like and angel, eh Florina?" He said, his voice raspy. Florina blushed, but smiled at him.

"Good j-job, but look at you! You're bleeding out fast! Was that really worth it?" She asked, eyes full of concern. The loathing that was in her eyes when Mark had done similarly to save her life was gone. She still looked scared, but she was accepting. As she looked down at him, a hand on his chest and absolute concern on her face, Mark coughed as he laughed again. "Wh-what's so funny?" She asked. "You're seriously dying! I need to get you to Serra right away!"

"Ye-yeah." Mark said, reaching out a hand to give her a light touch on the shoulder. "It was."

Florina shied away from his hand, slapping it away. "What was?"

Mark smiled and closed his eyes. "It was totally worth it." and with that, he passed out.

* * *

Mark woke up only a few minutes later, staring into the lit globe of Serra's staff. "Oh, you're back! Good. I was worried you were going to die there." Serra said as she continued to concentrate on healing him. He could still hear fighting in the next room over.

"Aw, were you concerned about other people Serra?" Mark asked, light sarcasm in his voice.

Serra scoffed. "Of course I am! I am the perfect picture of a lady. If you died on me, it would reflect poorly on my abilities. Of course I was concerned!"

Mark chuckled and let out a sigh. "And, there it is…" He lay in silence as the fighting slowly stopped in the next room. "The fight is ending." He said weakly. Serra nodded.

"It's been on the recline for some time. Thanks to their lack of healing magic, we made excellent progress."

Mark nodded weakly. "Good. That was the plan."

"There was a plan?"

"Well… Sort of, I guess." It was thought up on the spot, but it was still a plan. Regardless, Mark wished he had had more time to come up with a better one. "Is anyone else as injured as I am?" He asked.

"Ye-yeah." He heard a weak voice next to him. Turning his head slightly, he saw Kent in his peripherals. "Hello." He said in greeting. He had a few light cuts all over his body, but the most glaring problem was an three arrows lodged completely through his right arm. Mark grimaced at the sight.

"What happened to you…?" He asked softly.

Kent, voice strained, spoke, "There were a few archers aiming directly for Erk. He was unaware of their presence in the slightest, and since he was contributing more to the fight in my eyes, I stuck out my body for him. My horse took an arrow as well." Kent yawned and closed his eyes. "It's alright, she's survived much worse, and it was in her side not her legs. She will recover. So will I, but I'm simply so exhausted…" Kent said the last few phrases with longer pauses in between. Soon he fell asleep. Mark looked back to Serra who just finished up with him.

"Alright, time for pincushion." She crawled over to him, still on her knees, and whispered in his ear, "Sorry, Kent. I know you want to sleep. Just give me a moment." Kent nodded and clenched his teeth.

"...Go ahead." He muttered grimly. Mark watched in empathetic pain as Serra unceremoniously ripped the arrows out of his arm, eliciting an absolutely tortured scream from the poor man. She quickly cast the arrows aside and set to work wrapping the arm and keeping her staff aglow next to it. Soon, the bleeding stopped, and the arm rippled underneath the bandages as it knit itself back together naturally.

"...There." Serra sai, taking out a cloth and wiping her forehead. "Looks like everything is done. Time to see how things are in the main room." Serra stood up and brushed her dress, but blood and dirt stayed on his regardless. "And just when I made it a new color too…" She pouted.

Before she left, Mark called after her. "Serra!" He said, sitting up, causing him great pain and a throbbing in his head. "Give me your shoulder, let me survey too."

"You shouldn't move." Serra said flatly.

"I know. I can take it." Mark insisted. _No I can't._ He thought. _But she doesn't need to know that, and I can't stand not knowing how everyone is much more._ "Please." He said. Serra mulled it over. Eventually she walked over to him and offered him a hand.

"I suppose I can accept. I'm sure people want to thank you." Her eyes lit up. "Ooh, speaking of thanks, we just saved a castle!" She said excitedly. "I know _I'm_ certainly ready for a "thank you" as well, mhmhmhmhmmm." She hummed a laugh.

"For once, Serra, I agree." Mark said, taking her hand and standing up, leaning heavily on her for support. "Let's go see everyone." As they passed Kent, Mark stopped. "Oh, hang on just one second…" He felt around his coat and pulled out a small bag of coins. He tossed it onto Kent's chest. The poor guy was so out he didn't even notice. "Thanks for saving my best friend Kent." Mark smiled, and he and Serra left the room.

The grand hall was an absolute mess. Lyndis's legion was sprawled out around the room, exhausted from the fighting. Dorcas was lying face down, his axe embedded in the wall next to him. His body rose and fell in rhythm, so he was still breathing and alive, but clearly exhausted. Wil sat next to him, his back against the wall. He twirled an arrow in his hand, looking sadly as his bow, broken on the floor in front of him. Florina was bleeding from a wound on her leg, but was completely ignoring it in favor of caring for her pegasus, who was laying horizontally, a large slash on it's side, with a little gap right where Florina's leg would be. Mark gulped. _Must have been quite a harrowing experience._ Regardless, the pegasus looked like it was on the road to recovery in Florina's caring hands. Lyn was talking to Matthew. One of her sleeves had been completely torn off, and there was a cut on her back. It looked as though the cut had also sliced off a small amount of her hair, leaving an odd diagonal finish to her hair. Matthew had an arrow through his cloak, a burn on his arm, and a gash in his leg. He was gesturing wildly to Lyn as he spoke, scratching his head and point at Mark. He was likely explaining how he got there. Well, Mark was sure he wasn't explaining the whole story, but he figured he wouldn't. Sain was still on his horse. He had an arrow through his armor, likely only impaled slightly into his actual flesh. Since that was his largest wound, he was acting as a sort of leader, trotting from person to person and handing out vulneraries, bandages, and other supplies. Rath was speaking in a hushed voice to a man now sitting on the throne. He was kneeling and speaking with his head down. The man on the throne had his arms crossed, and was nodding sagely now and again, clearly in deep thought. Mark assumed he must be Marquess Araphen.

Finally, Mark's eyes rested on Erk. He was breathing slowly, clutching his thunder tome in both hands across his chest. His right leg was burned from the knee down, his cape was smoldering, and he had a steadily healing cut on his stomach. An empty vulnerary sat at his side. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled as Mark approached.

"Well if it isn't the hero of the day." He said, scooting over on the pillar to allow room for Mark to sit.

"Well, I don't know about hero, but I _am_ rather amazing. Thanks for finally noticing, Erk!" Serra said, leaving a wink as she deposited Mark at the pillar and skipped to heal the others.

"I wasn't talking to you…" Erk said, sighing. "But sure, fine, you're great."

"She's out of earshot." Mark said flatly.

"I know. That's the point. I'd never admit she's useful to her face." Erk said.

They sat in silence for a moment, and then Mark smiled. He brought his hands up to his mouth and shouted. "Hey, Serra, Erk thinks you're great! He told me himself!" Mark smiled as Erk groaned to his left and he heard a happy 'EEEEEEEEEE!' of joy from across the hall.

"After I saved you and everything." Erk chuckled. "Here's your fire tome by the way." He held out Mark's book, now covered in dirt and blood from it's time on the floor. Mark sighed and dusted it off.

"Thanks." He said, stuffing it into its usual pocket in his coat.

Erk shot him a glance. "I see you're still using that book."

"...So?"

"Nothing, I suppose, I just figured you wouldn't."

"It's almost out of pages anyways."

"Comparative to how it was, perhaps, but now it's the size of an average tome. It has some life to it yet."

"Sure." They continued to sit in silence. Eventually Mark turned to Erk. He still felt this nagging feeling ever since they ran into each other again, and he finally worked up the nerve to say it. "So, I uh… I wanted to say something."

"Oh, this will be good." Erk said, sighing. "Go ahead."

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Leaving without saying anything. I should have told you."

"..."

"And, I'm sorry that you probably got blamed.

"Teacher saved me from blame."

"...That's a… comfort I guess."

"You don't need to apologize, Mark."

"I do."

"No, I get it-"

"I do!" Mark snapped. Erk quietly faced front. Mark grit his teeth and stared at the floor. He thought apologizing would make him feel better. It didn't. It made him feel worse. Suddenly, he found himself wrapped back up in his time in Etruria, and a new question begged to be asked. He feared it, but he asked anyway. "H-How's Ursula?" He asked quietly. "And… and Cecelia?" Erk remained silent. "... How are they, Erk? You can tell me."

Erk sighed. "You know that already. No one actually thinks you're dead, which means you're still… well, you know. And if you're still around, then Ursula…"

"... Has she started it yet?"

"... Yes. Her contract was filled out and she stopped living in the manor a few weeks after you left. She's likely in Bern now."

Mark remained silent. He felt a few tears forming in his eyes. He'd been running from this truth since he set out. Now, talking to Erk, Etruria caught up to him in the worst way possible. Soon, he felt his face grow red, and heard the soft patter of tears on the tiles of the hall.

"I… I had to leave, right Erk?" Mark stuttered. Erk nodded slowly.

"... Yeah. You did. I know."

"I had to… I had to get away from that… that life."

"You did."

"I-I-I had to…" He breathed heavily and held his head in his hands. "I-I had to s-s-sacrifice my sister's freedom f-for mine, r-r-right?"

"..."

"I-I had to…"

"... Yeah. You did. She better off that you would have been."

"Yeah… but…" Mark punched the tiles and faced the ugly truth. "I… traded my sister for myself." The words seemed to shatter as he said them. "I did it… Only me... I've actively made her life a living hell…"

"It's not a living hell. She's well taken care of."

"But it's not ideal either. She deserves better."

"Both of you did."

"..."

Erk sighed and reached into his pocket. "I wasn't going to give this to you. After I saw you enjoying yourself so much, trying your best to put that life behind you, I lost my nerve. But, maybe now it will help." Erk handed Mark a piece of paper. Mark quietly took it and read it to himself.

 _Hello Mark! It's me, Cecelia, your favorite little sister. I tried to get Ursula to write you a letter too, but she wouldn't. She said it was stupid, since we have no idea if Erk will ever find you, but I have hope. Father is obviously quite mad at you, but I'm sure that isn't a surprise. Mom is mad too, but less so. You know how she tries her best to keep her emotions under control when Father is upset. It's been a few weeks now, and they are still mad. I'm not mad though! I understand exactly why you left, and I don't blame you at all. This may surprise you, but neither does Ursula. In fact, she told me to write that she's happy to take the arrow for you. Maybe she doesn't think this letter is stupid after all, hm? Of course, I'm sure it helps that since you are still alive, (Nice fake body, by the by), she doesn't have to worry about… that… anymore. Neither do I, of course. Really, you've taken a huge weight off your sister's shoulders. So, don't worry about us, ok? Have an adventure! Meet a girl and get your lonely sister a nephew or a niece! Don't worry, I jest. Take care Mark. If you ever sneak into Etruria again, tell Erk to let me know. I can't wait to see you again._

 _Your loving sisters._

 _Cecilia and Ursula_

The paper trembled in Mark's hands. "Why, again, didn't you want to show me this sooner?"

Erk nodded. "I was worried that if I did, it would make you worry about them, since you were trying your best _not_ to think of them. But, now that you are anyway, I figured it would be a comfort." He eyed Mark. "Was it?"

Mark silently folded the letter and placed it between the pages of his sketchbook. "...Yeah." He sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Thanks Erk." He said. _Thanks Cecelia, Ursula._ He thought. Still shaken, a noise rose from the throne area.

"Very well. I hereby rescind my offer. Take your leave." Mark heard the Marquess say. He turned. Lyn was standing in front of the man, staring daggers at him. Rath shifted uncomfortably at the man's side, clearly uncomfortable.

"Fine. Thank you for your time, Marquess." Lyn spat out, putting extra venom on the last word, before turning and stomping out of the hall. "Come on everyone. We aren't welcome here." Everyone was silent, but slowly got up and left. As everyone was leaving, the Marquess called out.

"You there, in the green coat." Mark stopped and turned around. The Marquess gestured for Mark to come closer, which he did reluctantly.

"Yes, sir." Mark said plainly, trying to recover from the thought of what he'd done to his poor sisters.

"You're the lad from Etruria, correct?" the Marquess said. "The one that disappeared."

"...No sir. I don't know who you mean. I am a travelling scholar, I don't pay much attention to the politics of the world." Mark replied calmly.

"Why don't I believe you?" The Marquess said. Mark shrugged.

"I couldn't tell you sir. But I _can_ tell you that I'm not the man you're thinking of." Mark gestured to the exit. "May I join my friends now?" He asked, trying his best to remain polite. His mind was still in pieces from his own horrid thoughts, and the fact that he had fought one of the harder battles of his life only an hour ago.

The Marquess contemplated. "I see. Very well. I would need to know for sure before I turn you in, and the consequences of being wrong would be, well, vast." The Marquess sighed, and Mark turned to leave. After a few steps though, the Marquess shouted after him. "Oh, but may I give you some advice?"

 _No._ Mark thought, turning around. "Yes, of course you may Marquess." He said.

"Have nothing to do with that girl." He said. "Lyndis, that is. Not only does she have no experience with the court, but she is on the losing side. Lord Lundgren is clearly going to be the victor of this battle for the throne, and I intend to welcome his reign. You would be wise to abandon ship now, boy."

Mark stood in silence for a moment. Eventually he started walking back up to the Marquess. The Marquess raised an eyebrow. Mark stood directly before him. "With all due respect, Marquess." He said, steely. "Lyn has saved my life on several occasions, in several ways. She is easily one of the most caring and heartfelt people I have ever met. I will gladly fight alongside her until my legs give out underneath me. That's more than I can say for someone who kicks the people who just saved his throne out of his castle." Mark started to walk away.

"...Mark, his name was." The Marquess said, staring Mark down. "The boy from Etruria." Mark turned around.

"And?"

"Well." The Marquess said. "He said something quite similar back when he led the-" Mark lit a hand on fire and shot a fireball past the Marquess's head. The Marquess smiled. "I thought so. Well, go on, I won't tell anyone. If I did, you would certainly destroy me." The Marquess waved across the floor, following the giant burn mark Mark had left. "After all, you already destroyed me floor."

"... Good day, Marquess." Mark said, extinguishing his hand and walking out of the hallway. "I'm glad we understand each other." He called out, not turning around. He heard a chuckle.

"Yes, boy. Hollow as it may seem. I wish you the best of luck. I certainly don't envy you."

 **A/N This one took me a while. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go with it, but I think I'm happy with the result. My main concern was with how fast we've been going through Lyn's story in this fic that in comparison, the amount of time being spent on this one battle in the game was a bit long, but the more I thought about it, this is really a pivotal fight in the story. No longer are you fighting random grunts, but trained soldiers,** _ **after**_ **entering Lycia where things were supposed to ease up. Thus, I've given it more love than I thought I would. This is probably how a lot of Eliwood/Hector's section of this story will be told. After all, however many words in, and we still aren't even close to the main course. I've got big stuff planned, and I hope you guys are enjoying it as much as I am. As always, thanks for reading. Peace! -Matt**


	12. An unavoidable act

Mark met with the rest of his friends outside. The sun was beginning to set over the mountains, and the town was slowly being rebuilt by the townspeople. Despite having a large portion of the village surrounding the castle burst and ravaged, the people were in high spirits. The shops were closed with the exception of those selling food, and everyone was gathered together, having a party of all things. Music was being played, couples were dancing in the street, and the town was slowly being rebuilt by the able bodied. Mark's mind flashed back to the streets of his own city, historically untouched by war. He doubted they would have the same positivity in tackling the aftermath. Mark walked over to his friends, away from the action. They were gathered by the gate leaving Araphen. Despite being completely geared up and ready to leave, everyone was solemnly looking at the festivities. The hero's of the day, sulking in the shadows.

After a little while of sitting in silence, the group was jolted from their trance by a sudden arrival.

"Lyn of the Lorca!" A voice shouted, above the music, the sound of galloping hooves bringing it closer. Lyn turned and raised an eyebrow.

"Rath?" She said, trying to locate him. "Is that you?" Rath trotted over from the main gate of the castle, an unsure expression on his face.

"Yes, Rath." He said, his deep voice resonating against the stone of the gate. "I have come with a gift and an offer." He sheepishly, which Mark pegged down as an act he would never see Rath do, hopped off of his horse and walked over to Lyn. His face grew more determined as he got to her and he began to walk quickly. Lyn blushed and took a step back.

"U-um… what are you-?" She stammered, before he finally reached her and dropped to a knee in a bow.

"Lyn!" He said. He paused.

"...Yes?" She said, confused.

"...Please, let me join you."

Erk whistled quietly and leaned in to Mark. "I must say, I didn't peg him as the sort to desert his marquess. He said he was the captain of the guard, right?"

Mark nodded, "Yeah, something like that. I honestly can't remember if that's actually it specifically, but he's obviously important."

"You don't need to join me Rath." Lyn said sympathetically, lifting him up from the ground. "You're needed here! I may not be the fondest of the marquess, I have to admit, but…" Lyn looked down sadly but shook her head. "But he's still a marquess, and if this festival is anything to go by… well he could certainly be worse at his job." Lyn looked like she hated to admit it. In that moment, Mark saw a lot of similar feelings he felt not long ago going through Lyn's mind now. He made a mental note to talk to her later and confirm if he was right.

Rath shook his head, "That is exactly why I am not needed. The marquess is more than able to take care of this land without me."

"You sure?" Spoke up Matthew. Everyone turned to him. He held up his hands. "Hey, I'm just saying, it looked to me like you're the sole reason Araphen hasn't been taken over by Caelin."

"...I'm sorry, what?" Lyn said, looking at Matthew. "What do you mean taken over by Caelin? What does my grandfather have to do with this attack?" She looked to Kent and Sain, who both held grim expressions and looked at the ground in thought.

"...It is actually your grand _uncle_ Lyn." Rath said quietly after a long pause. "He has… usurped… your Grandfather. In fact, the castle received a report that the old marquess is likely already dead. That doesn't mean it is confirmed, though…" Rath said, trailing off. Lyn was staring coldly at the ground, processing what she was hearing. Lyndis's Legion had gone completely silent. Not even Serra was clamoring to Erk anymore. The group found itself devastated as a celebration happened right next to them. "So, please, Lyn, you will need all the help you can get." Rath said, bowing again. "Please take me with you. If it makes you feel better, I will return to Araphen right after we are done claiming you the throne."

"...Welcome." Lyn said. The tone of her voice made Mark's heart sink deep into his gut. Lyn was clearly devastated. She looked forward with dead eyes. "... Come on everyone. Let's march." She slowly walked out of the gate. Everyone slowly picked up and followed her. Mark and Erk stood were they were in the back.

Erk turned to Mark. "We'll get her on the throne. Don't worry." He said. And waited. "Uh, hello? Mark?" He waved a hand in front of Marks face. Mark blinked and turned to him.

"Oh, sorry, what?"

"I said we'll get her on the throne."

Mark looked at his friend in confusion. "Why are you telling _me_ that? Tell Lyn!"

Erk shook his head. "No, you miss my point." He said, poking a finger into Mark's chest. "I'm just telling you what to say when you try to make her feel better once we set up camp."

Mark blinked a few times, before chuckling nervously. "Uh, How did you know I was gonna-"

"Mark, please, don't insult me. I've known you too long. I know what you're thinking."

"...Yeah, ok. Go on ahead, there's something I gotta do really quick." Mark said to his friend. Erk hesitated for a moment before reading Mark's expression and shrugging.

"If you say so. Don't get lost to far behind." He said, jogging up to the others. Mark waited for a few moments before turning to the corner of the gate.

"...Alright Matthew, you waited. I'm guessing you want me." He said, tired. It was almost dark now, so if Mark hadn't counted out the heads he saw leaving, Mark would've completely missed that this one stayed behind. Quietly, Matthew stepped out of the shadows.

"Hey." He said plainly. It wasn't a joking plainly either, just a normal hello. Matthew held a serious look on his face.

"What do you need?" Mark sneered.

"I just wanted to say thanks again for letting me-"

"Liar."

"..."

"..."

"...Alright. I stayed because you wanted to ask me something."

"How did you know?"

"Well, it only makes sense considering the conversation we just heard. Go on, ask."

"... Is Lyn's grandfather still alive? The report that Rath talked about said they didn't know."

"Nope, he's dead. Lundgren rules Caelin. If it makes you feel better though, few support him."

"Define few."

"His personal army. The civilians all know he killed his own brother for the throne, and since they make up Caelin's main army…"

"Then Lundgren's personal army is made up almost entirely of mercenaries." Mark guessed, to which Matthew nodded. "It's unlikely someone who isn't a marquess would have that much money which means once he killed his brother he must have used the treasury to instal his own army. He's bleeding his own country dry. The best plan would be to let him do so and take over after, _if_ we weren't trying to do anything other than take over the castle, but since we want to put Lyn in charge, time is of the essence, or she'll have nothing left to lead. If his personal army is already big enough to try and take over another region that means he's already made a huge investment. Likely the people on the outskirts of Caelin are starving already. This also explains why marquess Araphen did what he did."

Matthew tilted his head to the side. "Did what he did?"

Mark nodded. "You heard it, he openly didn't give us the aide he said he would. But I don't think that's true."

"How so?"

"It's Rath. He said he had a gift and an offer, but he hasn't shown us the gift yet. Judging by the packs on his horse, it's gold. He's waiting until we are away from Araphen to show us. Marquess Araphen _is_ helping us, but he knows that a spy..." Mark shot Matthew a glare, "... is likely working in Araphen. Essentially, he's covering his bases in case we lose. He can deny helping us at all. But there's more."

"There is?" Matthew said, genuinely surprised.

Mark nodded seriously. "He also made it a point to point out my presence within our group. He wants me to help Lyn gain the throne, but he wants to make sure I don't have the time to stick around to bolster Caelin's military afterwards by staying in one place. He's essentially placed a very small time frame for us to succeed, and everything will work out for him. Sneaky little stuffed up noble PRICK!" Mark kicked the stone wall of the gate and silently cursed the music _still_ happening in the background for making the situation seem better than it was. He composed himself with a few deep breaths. "Thank you for the info. Let's go." After that little speech, Mark started walking back to the others.

Matthew laughed light-heartedly, making Mark even more angry, and ran with him. "Gotta say, putting all that together that fast just from me saying Lundgren only had his personal army is exactly why people like me know who you are my friend."

"I am _NOT_ your friend." Mark said through clenched teeth. "And I still don't trust you."

Matthew slowed down a little and looked genuinely disheartened by Mark's words. Mark didn't believe it actually made him feel down in the slightest. "... Alright, if you say so." Matthew mumbled sadly, catching back up.

* * *

The camp lacked the luster it had just one night ago, despite two new faces into the fold. Wil was getting used to a new bow that Rath brought him, and Rath leaning against a nearby tree as he did so. Dorcas was sitting on a stump, chin in his hand, quietly watching Wil shoot. Soon Wil was hitting the nearby target with every shot, and he, Rath, and Dorcas all muttered to each other quietly, laughter from previous nights replaced with nervous glances to the sky, and the occasional eye-shift to other members of the camp. Kent and Sain were off together barely in vision, standing together and looking at the stars. Now that everyone knew that they had just fought other Caelin knights in the last battle, Kent and Sain had been uncharacteristically quiet. They couldn't even bring themselves to look at Lyn anymore, and after leading the group ever closer on their journey, immediately left to their current position once the camp was set up. Serra had her knees on her chest and was pouting, poking a stick into the fire and quietly watching sparks flew into the night. Erk sat back to back with her, reading a book. It was odd to see the two so relaxed together, Mark thought to himself, but in the end he supposed they really did get along well. Florina was flying lazily in the sky, going nowhere. Mark thought of it as the pegasus knight equivalent to pacing about ambivalently. Matthew was laying on his back, his hands behind his head, eyes closed, listening to the crackle of the fire. It almost looked for a second like he wasn't the conniving danger Mark had him pegged as, but maybe that's just what he wanted Mark to think. Lyn had turned in for the night.

Mark sat near the fire, reading his books. Well, reading is a loose term in this case. At the very least, he was looking at his books, but his mind couldn't help but wander. It was over. Marquess Araphen had completely ruined the rest of his journey, single-handedly. Mark would have to disappear for at least a few months, he figured, before he could risk coming back to Lycia after this campaign was over. And not only that, but that disappearance would have to be immediate. The thought devastated him. Mark knew he'd have to leave eventually, but he'd hoped he could at least celebrate the victory with his friends. Now, that hope was dashed, and unable to be whole again.

He was brought back to reality by Lyn, emerging from the tent. She sleepily walked over and sat at the fire. She had clearly been crying, with noticeable streaks going down her face. She had a coat made of plain animals draped on her shoulders, and brought around her upper body. Her hair wasn't in it's usual style, instead just falling to her mid back. She'd obviously been trying to sleep, but it also obviously wasn't coming. Mark sighed, wishing he could do some thing about it, but he was too caught up in his own problems. He went back to his book.

He needed an escape plan. Should he wait until the Lyn is officially put on the throne before he leaves? Maybe, he thought, he should only wait until the final blow is dealt to Lundgren. Then, as soon as it is, in the confusion of it all, he'll give the order to storm the castle and the run in the opposite direction. Mark cursed himself for the idea, and cursed himself more that it was a highly practical idea. Maybe if he really didn't want to risk it, he would leave before the final fight. Who was he to bring someone into power in a foreign country anyways. Eventually Mark quickly came back to reality, since Florina swooped down having noticed Lyn, and together they took to the sky. As soon as they did, Mark felt a pain in his chest. He thought back to the many times Lyn comforted him when he felt down this whole time, and in her darkest time he literally saw her and ignored her presence. He felt awful. He sighed heavily and went to his pack. There was one solution for times like this, Mark found.

Setting up his easel and canvas, Mark sat by the fire and slowly began to paint. Mark stared across the fire at his best friend and his employer, now having fallen asleep against each other, still back to back. He smiled weakly at the sight. At least Erk was doing well. He adjusted himself to be able to see them better, and began to paint them. He started with the sky, which he always liked to start with. A lot of his paint had dried out from not being used the whole journey, but some of the paint he had packed had been well preserved. After the sky, he moved on to the fire, leaving space on the right side of the canvas for the two main protagonists. Just as he finished up the fire, he heard the pegasus land behind him a little ways. Glancing back, Florina was leading the pegasus away for the night and Lyn was heading back to her tent. As she past Mark, she looked at him. She didn't look any better, but she tilted her head to the side.

"What's that?" She asked.

"It's a painting." Mark said simply, turning back to it. It wasn't his best work, but he could touch it up later. "Surely you know paintings." He said softly.

"Yeah, of course." Lyn said, walking over to him and sitting down on his left. "I've just never seen it done like this."

"Well, this is how we do paintings in Etruria. How is it in Sacae?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not different per se… but we only tend to paint things like jewelry, bowls, and the like. We don't just paint what is in front of us." They sat in silence as Mark continued his painting.

 _Now is your chance_. Mark thought. _Make up for not saying anything before_. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Lyn continued.

"Why do you bother painting what is in front of you like this? Why not just look and appreciate it?" She asked.

"Well, it's hard to explain, I guess." Mark sighed. "I just like to do it when I'm down. Besides, if I paint this scene now, I can look at it anytime I want. I can also show other people exactly what I saw, who weren't even there. I think that's something special." Mark said simply. He put down his paintbrush and turned to Lyn. "Listen, Lyn, about what Rath said, I just wanted to-"

"Don't stop painting." Lyn said quietly.

"...What?"

"Don't stop!" She insisted, forcing a smile for him. "You said you paint when you're down, and I haven't seen you painting yet so you must be _really_ down. So… if you are… then don't worry about me. Ok?" She said. Mark's heart twisted in pain and his own failure to cheer up his friend.

"... No I can't accept that. I have an idea." He pointed to his paints. "Why don't we paint together?" He said, smiling. Lyn blinked, wide eyed.

"I have no idea how to paint!" She said.

"Alright fine. Let's paint together in another way." Mark said. He picked up his brush and continued to touch up his fire. "Could you please mix me a color that would match Erk's purple hue please?" Lyn was so quiet Mark wasn't even sure she was moving. He didn't ask again. He wasn't going to force her to. Soon though, he felt a tug on his coat. Lyn help up a small plate of thick paper that Mark brought plenty of for his painting, and on it was a deep purple. Mark smiled and took it. "Thank you. Serra's hair next please." _I'm sorry Lyn._ he thought. _I wish that I could say anything that would be useful right now but… hopefully this at least helps you a little._

Together they carried on like this, Mark asking for colors to be mixed, and once they were done, Lyn silently tugging on his coat and giving it to him. This lasted for a few hours, until at last, all Mark had to do was color Serra's dress. He felt a touch against his arm and looked down. Lyn was resting, eyes closed, against his side. In her hand, a paper with the light blue colored paint of Serra's dress dripped to the dirt around the campfire. Mark quietly watched as she rose and fell with her breathing, making him feel tired in the process. He placed down his brush, and gently leaned back so that both of them were lying on the ground. He stayed like that for a while, staring at the sky. As he silently did so, he grew to hate himself for the thoughts he was having earlier that evening, about running away, but it wasn't enough. Mark had to leave Lycia, very soon. There was no getting around it. Logic needed to win out over emotion.

He sighed and stood up. He scooped back down and quietly lifted Lyn up in his arms and carried her back to her tent, being sure no light was streaming through the opening when he left. After packing up his new painting and his equipment, he picked out a spot near the fire and layed down to go to sleep. Before he fell asleep, he had one final thought. _It's a betrayal Mark, I know._ He heard. _But sometimes a betrayal is an unavoidable action in order to preserve whatever it is you're trying to protect._ Mark grit his teeth in anger due to the fact that, yet again, he agreed with his father's words.

 **A/N: "But Matt" you say, "You said school would be treating you hard." And it is, but I'm super sick and missed three days. I was too delusional to write anything from a high fever but since I'm still too sick to school, and feeling slightly better, I figured I'd pump this out and give you guys a treat, which is why it's shorter than usual. When I went to post this though I saw this story has reached 50 followers! Yay! *confetti* *Final Fantasy victory fanfare plays* You guys are awesome. Thanks. This is a lot easier to get out than multi person stories lemme tell ya. Anyways, thanks guys. Cheers to more** _ **Wanderer**_ **coming soon. :D -Matt**


	13. Unfortunate timing

When Mark woke up, he was on the back of a horse, buckled down to it's back with cloth straps and belts. He cracked an eye open to see if he was in danger, saw it was just his companions, and yawned. Slipping a knife from his sleeve into his hand he quietly cut his bindings, stretched, and jumped off the horse. No one was speaking as the group continued their march towards Caelin. Lyn lead the group with Kent and Sain, all three of whom looked miserable. Dorcas's normally broad and heavy pace held a bit of a shamble uncommon to the man. Serra wasn't constantly boasting about how great she was, instead giving a passive hint for praise to Erk every now and again. Erk wasn't listening, and he seemed deep in thought. This wasn't uncommon to Erk in the slightest, he always did overthink things, but it was obvious from his face that he didn't like his current mindset. Rath silently rode on, head raised in an attempt to scout out any enemies that could be laying in wait. Will would occasionally shoot an arrow at random targets they walked past, until Erk reminded him he was low on arrows as it was. After that he just kept his head sunken and marched on. Florina never left the sky, even when her pegasus was starting to get tired. Finally Mark's eyes settled on Matthew. He juggled a few knives in his hands, obviously bored and unconcerned for the situation. Of course he could keep his cool as a spy and all, but it pissed Mark off nonetheless.

"Oh, you're up." Erk said, casually nodding at Mark as he took his first steps of the morning.

"Welcome back from the world of sleep!" Serra said happily.

"... You didn't use that sleep spell on me again did you?" Mark asked, reluctant to have the answer.

"No." Serra pouted. "Erk wouldn't let me because he hates fun."

"You almost killed him last time." Erk said flatly.

"Oh don't be such a stick in the mud Erk. It's just light fun. Jokes! Pranks!" Serra retorted.

"Of course." Erk said with light sarcasm.

"Well anyway." Mark said lightly rubbing the side of his head with a finger, "Where are we right now Erk?"

"We've entered Lycia, near Pharae. It's a small territory with a few villages spread throughout it. Apparently we will be stopping by one this afternoon." Erk promptly replied.

"Excellent." Mark said, "Let's hope it is without incident this time." The group continued it's solemn march.

When the group _did_ make it to the town, Mark couldn't help but notice the abnormally high amount of people in pitch black garments carrying weapons. They'd all obviously seen combat in their time. Mark uneasily read his tome like it was a normal book, in case he needed to use it. For some reason, he felt like he was missing something, but he was so exhausted from only having recently woken up that nothing was coming to mind. The group stopped in the center of the village.

"This is a good place. Spread out and buy supplies as you need. The gold Rath brought with him should be enough for anything you need. I'm going to the inn to try and get some information." Lyn said to everyone. Mark raised an eyebrow at Lyn's assertive manner. It's not like it was _unlike_ her per se, but Mark felt like he should have been asked his opinion as the groups tactician. He shook his head to clear these selfish thoughts. _Stop that._ He thought, _You're being paranoid. It's not a bad plan, you wouldn't even have said anything different._ Mark looked back up to see that everyone was already heading in their own directions. Erk clasped a hand onto Mark's shoulder.

"Let me guess." He said. "You're going with her?"

"Correct." Mark said, watching Lyn slowly walk away. "Why?"

"You're concerned she's still not doing well after the news of her grandfather?" Erk guessed.

"Also correct. What else?" Mark asked.

"... I don't know. You care about her?"

"That was implied in the first guess. I'm also going because word of the Caelin succession troubles have probably reached other parts of Lycia. If she gets recognized it could be trouble."

"If _you_ get recognized it could be worse." Erk replied.

Mark laughed. "No one out here knows who I am." He said confidently, lying through his teeth. He'd already been identified by a Lycian lord. Of course they could know, and of course he knew it, but maybe Erk would buy it.

He didn't, "Of course." He said sarcastically, a seeming habit he was beginning to form from his time with Serra. "Just be careful. Need anything from town?"

"Just some elixirs if you could spare them." Mark said. Erk clapped him on the back and ran to catch up to Serra. Mark made his way to Lyn's side.

"Don't need anything?" Lyn asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll be fine by myself."

"Oh I know." Mark said, smiling. "But isn't a shame for such a beautiful woman to be in a town by herself?" He raised an eyebrow and flashed a toothy grin. He felt like an idiot but it worked.

Lyn blushed. "M-Mark what-" Mark laughed at his companions expression and raised his hands.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just trying to get you to loosen up. Besides, as a marquess I'm sure you'll have any number of suitors knocking on your door. Might as well get used to the ones of low moral standing that are mixed into the bunch."

"Thanks, _Sain._ " Lyn said. She still seemed upset, but she was certainly less tense. "What about you did you have a lot of suitors?"

Mark laughed nervously. "What?"

"Did you have a lot of suitors!" Lyn asked again.

"Where is that coming from?" Mark asked.

"You're the one who brought it up!" Lyn retorted. "Come on, it's only fair. You embarrassed me in town, I should get some sort of compensation."

"Well…" Mark scratched the back of his head and looked at the ground. "...Never really got any suitors to be honest. If I did, I sure never saw them." Mark paused. "I don't think anyone would really like to be married to someone like me anyway."

"Why not? You're a noble right?" Lyn said.

"Well, not exactly." Mark said. "Well… I guess maybe I am."

"That doesn't make sense. Come on, isn't it feasible at all that someone would want to marry into higher standing, even if maybe… well I don't know what, but it's possible right? It used to happen in Sacae constantly, lower status women trying to marry chief sons."

"Well, I suppose, but I think there's a large difference between-" Mark stopped. They had reached the inn. "Why don't we continue this later?" He asked, turning to Lyn.

She nodded. "Promise?"

Mark laughed. "Nope." And together they walked into the inn.

* * *

The lobby of the inn was also a small bar, with patrons strewn about the room. The bar itself was rundown, clearly without much thought or care put into it. As far as Mark saw though, it was the only bar in town, which is why so many were there, he assumed. None of the black-clothed fighters were in there either, only townsfolk. Several people stuck out to Mark. First was a young man, around the same age as Mark sitting with his back to the wall in the far corner of the bar. He had on a brown cloak that concealed the rest of his clothes, but he had a large ax leaning against the wall by his side. He tapped his foot on the floor, his arms crossed. The only other thing that stood out was his dark blue hair and firm jaw. Next was the bartender himself. He was an older man, wiping down the counter likely more out of boredom than cleanliness. He would occasionally pick up a mug, fill it up to the brim, and down it in one go. He was easily the most drunk at the bar, and it was hardly midday. Finally, there was a female monk sitting with some men at a round table. She was eagerly asking them questions, and they were happy to answer, likely trying to get on her good side. She had blue robes and long blonde hair.

"Where do we start?" Lyn asked. Standing by Mark's side and looking around the room. "Them?" She pointed to the monk's table.

Mark nodded. "Go ahead, I'll look around elsewhere. We'll meet up again with our findings in a little while at that table." Mark pointed to an empty table and the two split. Mark went straight for the man in the back, the one with the ax. He quietly pulled a chair out from the table and raised an eyebrow at the man.

"May I?" He asked politely. The man looked up. He stopped tapping his foot. He squinted slightly, as if trying to place Mark's face.

"... Sure." The man said, extending a hand. "The name's Lex."

 _What an unconvincing accent, and an even worse lie._ Mark quietly thought to himself. He smiled. "Mine's Robin. A pleasure." He sat down. "Do you live here Lex?" He asked.

'Lex' shook his head. "No, no, I'm from Bern." He said. _That's supposed to be a Bernian accent?! Come on, you can do better._ Mark thought. Lex leaned in a little. "Came down this way looking for some strong fighters." The man casually, leaned back but eyed Mark carefully. "...You strong?" For how much he was making fun of the man for his fake accent, Mark suddenly froze. If he said yes, he'd potentially have a fight on his hands. If he said no, the man would clearly be able to see that his was lying. He'd possibly already known who Mark was from the beginning and was just trying to either mess with him or goad him into admitting it. After mulling it over for a little while, Mark decided on his safest bet.

"Yes, I suppose I am." He finally answered, carefully eyeing that huge ax. If a fight broke out he could probably run and act like he was alone. On the other hand, if he had let it drag on the others might get involved. The other man laughed. "What is it?" Mark asked innocently.

"Well, I just think we're a couple of liars, don't you?" The man said, dropping the accent. He waved Mark away. "Go on. I never saw you. I'm only here to visit a friend."

Mark didn't move. "I still have some questions."

The man's expression turned smug. "I don't have any of the answers you're looking for."

"I still want to ask them." Mark said, opening his mouth to ask the first one as the man slowly but with purpose, reached for the handle of his ax. He grabbed it and held it in both hands, layed it across his lap, and eyed Mark across the table.

"I don't have answers." He stated firmly. "Don't you think it's best if we just never saw each other?" The man added. Mark gulped. He slowly stood up.

"...Thank you for your time." Mark said.

"Don't mention it." The man said, putting his ax back and leaning back in his chair. "See you later _sir_." He said quietly, putting a little venom on the last word.

"You have no reason to call me that." Mark said quietly. He extended a hand again. The man took it. "Mark." Mark said simply. He already knew that the man knew his name. Mark just wanted to know his for future reference.

"Hector." The man said firmly. The name meant nothing to Mark, but obviously the man was important. Without another thought in the matter, Mark made his way to the bartender. He sat down at a stool and patiently waited for the bartender to notice.

"Room or drinks?" The man said, slurring the final 's'.

"Drinks." Mark said, smiling warmly. Soon he had a mug of very, very watery ale. He took a gulp and acted like it hit the spot. "Mmm." Mark said as he swallowed the, sadly, gross _and_ ineffective liquid. "Hits the spot." He choked out. The bartender shot him a toothless grin.

"Ain't it?" The bartender said loudly. "It's only the best damn ale you'll ever set your dainty little lips on girly boy!" Mark's eye twitched slightly. _Girly boy?_ He thought. He ignored it, but it took him a moment to regain himself.

"Best ale you'll ever have!" The man shouted again, more insistent this time. "I'm tellin ya Lucius this is the best, *hic* best damn drink. Best. Ever. Waaaaaaaaaay better than what those stuffed up nobles got." _Lucius?_ Mark thought. _This guy is clearly out of it. Do I even bother asking…?_ He mulled it over before biting his lip and asking.

"Nobles, eh?" Mark said. "Hey did you hear about all that stuff happening in Caelin?"

"Caelin?!" The man yelled. "Bahhh, Caelin ain't got the best ale sho what do I care, you know?" He slumped to the counter and slowly drew a circle on the wood with his finger. "But you know I think that that Lundgren guy is just a pompous ass, you know? Thinks he can run a castle after murdering his own brother for it, and everyone knows he did it. No one like him, I get people comin in here evvvvvry day to tell me how much they doooooont like him. The way I see it that new girly girl plains girly will be waaaay better in place of him, even without the experience." The man quietly stood back up and kept pouring drinks for himself. Mark blinked a few times at the man's suddenly sober and insightful remarks. Mark had heard that Lyn had most of the common people's support from Matthew the day before, but it was nice to have some reassurance. Just then the door burst open.

"Please!" A young voice cried. Mark turned and raised an eyebrow. A young boy wearing simple clothes and holding a wind pipe had rushed into the inn, out of breath. The bar went silent. He ran up to the counter, hopped onto it, and shook the bartender by the lapel. "Y-you've got to help me! They got her!"

"They? Who's 'they' kid?" The bartender said concerned.

"The Black Fang!" The kid said. A chill went down Mark's spine. He quietly kept and eye on the door as he listened. "Please, they're taking her right now but we can still stop them if…" The boy stopped sadly as the bartender looked away, taking the kid's hands off.

"Sorry kid." The bartender said quietly. "But get the hell out of my establishment."

"...What?" The kid asked, obvious hurt and despair in his tone.

"You heard me." The man said angrily. "Don't make me shout it. Get. Out."

The kid quietly backed away and looked out across the bar. Mark quietly watched him, hoping to St. Elmine that he wasn't going to fight against the Fang. He should have recognized them sooner. The boy sobbed lightly in the center of the room. "A-anyone?" He asked sadly. Lyn was standing up, but before she could the door to the inn burst open. Mark didn't look, but he already knew.

"Nils." A feminine voice echoed through the hall. The sound of high heels lightly tapped in the hall. "You really shouldn't run-" The voice stopped. The footsteps stopped. Mark sighed, stood up, downed the rest of his drink, and turned around.

The woman before him had short blue hair. A small crow pendant that Mark had bought her was around her neck. She held a tome that she and Mark made together. She wore the Black Fang's uniform. Mark suppressed the urge to cry. "Hello, sister." He said, hardly managing squeezing out the words. "...How's it going?"

 **A/N: You forgot Ursula makes a small appearance in the side quest after this chapter didn't you? I've decided to run with that, so all aboard! I will say now though, this won't be as crazy as you think it might be. Gotta save the juicy stuff for the MAIN storyline right? School has been ok, finally had some time, so I cranked this short, yet (I think) very full chapter out. If I feel like it there could** _ **possibly another chapter within the next two days**_ **but no promises. In the time I was away this story caught more attention that usual in breaks, so thanks a lot guys. As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. :D -Matt**


	14. Grand Deserter General of Etruria

Mark looked around with a blank expression on his face. The situation was rather grim: Ursula was surrounded by four armed guards, all of whom looked like formidable opponents in their own right, not to mention Ursula herself. Ursula was gently holding a tome that Mark had written for her a few years ago. It was way below what she was capable of using now, and it confused Mark as to why she would bother using it now. Perhaps capturing "Nils" here was not a big enough deal to warrant a grander weapon. Either way, it pained Mark immensely. Lyn was still seated, nervously eyeing the exchange, as was the rest of her table. Mark thanked St. Elmine she was smart enough to read the atmosphere. The bartender was quietly still cleaning glasses, but he obviously wasn't as into it as before. Hector had disappeared, not surprisingly. If a fight broke out Lyn would undoubtedly jump to his aide, but Mark wasn't sure it would be enough. Besides, the _last_ thing he wanted was to fight his older sister.

After what felt like an eternity, Ursula smiled and sighed. She looked behind her and gave a signal. Her guards exited the bar. She fitted her tome to her belt, looped an arm around Mark's neck and dragged him over to the bar. Mark begrudgingly let himself be dragged. _This is probably best anyway._ He thought to himself. Together they sat down. Ursula patted him on the back and rubbed her hand across it.

"Hey there little scholar." She said with a thin smile. "Thing are going well for me. What about you?" She held up two fingers to the barkeep and placed a few coins on the table. The barkeep blinked a few times before taking the money and prepping the drinks.

"Well enough I guess." Mark said. "I've been having fun, at least." _Mostly._ He thought.

"Fell in with the right crowd huh?" Ursula retorted. _Of course she knows who I'm with, why wouldn't she?_ He lamented. "Well I'm certainly happy to see you. After all, I thought my only little brother in the world was dead and gone!" She said sarcastically, taking a sip of the drink she had just received.

"... Did I really fool nobody?" Mark said. The more he heard about how unsuccessful his 'dead body' was, the more he felt like an idiot.

"Hahahah…" Ursula laughed, sipping her drink. "...Not a soul." She said happily. Mark's heart was hurting more than it ever had before, even when he confronted his father. At least then the situation wasn't _his_ fault.

Mark hung his head. "...I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I'm so, so sorry Ursula. You've become something horrible all because of me." At this, Ursula fell silent. Perhaps she was thinking about what to say. Perhaps she wasn't accepting the apology. Before Mark could know, Nils picked this time to run for it. Without even looking Ursula held up a hand, the tome at her waist glowing blue, and a gate of light blocked the exits. Nils stopped in his tracks, whimpered, and ran into the monk's embrace.

"It's not too bad, really." Ursula said, unconvincingly. "Seriously. Don't even worry about it." It was such a bad lie that Mark felt his eyes go a little wet at the length his sister was trying to get him not to worry. He quickly wiped his eyes. He hated crying in front of her.

"Looks like you've tried to change your way of speaking too huh?" He said.

"Well, of course." She snorted. "Would be pretty bad if people knew who we were right?" Ursula swallowed hard. "Hey, Mark." She whispered. "Forgive me for this." She looked at him sadly, placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled in pain. "But a special client has requested something for you." A chill went down Mark's spine.

"...You're not gonna kill me. _Me._ Right Ursula?" He said, praying to St. Elimine he was right.

"Of course not." She said, still whispering. "But I do have to do this." She stood up and walked over to Lyn. Mark quietly reached into his coat and fiddled with his tome. If Ursula made a move to kill her, Mark would distract her. Lyn stared her down, trying her best to hide her fear. "Lyndis of the Lorca, right?" Ursula asked, bowing. "Greetings, future marquess." she said.

Lyn shot a glance at Mark, who signaled it was fine. "Yes, but I'm not marquess yet." She said.

Ursula laughed, and pointed Lyn in Mark's direction. "Oh trust me, with him on your side you've already won. Do you know why? Or hasn't he told you?" Ursula said, feigning surprise.

"Why are you mocking me Urs!" Mark shouted, using his sister's nickname and standing up. Immediately, light chained his hands to the table. When he looked up again, Ursula looked at him pained. _Orders. From him._ She mouthed to him. She turned back to Lyn, smiling devilishly, grabbing her by the shirt and bringing her closer.

"Anyways. Want to know?"

Lyn bit her lip. "... No!" She shouted. Mark was to resigned to what was about to happen to even care about his friend's trust in him.

"Too bad Lyndis!" Ursula said, raising her voice.

"Lady Lyn?" Voices called from outside the bar, overhearing her. Soon, Kent, Sain, Erk, Serra, and Florina were at the entrance, looking it. "Lady Lyn!" Kent shouted, grasping at the bars of light and trying to pry them open.

"STOP!" Mark shouted at them. They did. "Just… just stop it."

Ursula paused at this and sadly looked down in disgust of herself. Soon though, she raised her head again like it didn't happen. "Drumroll, please." She said tapping her hand slowly on the table. "That little 'nobody' over there, marquess, is the next Grand Mage General of Etruria." The shouting from outside fell silent. Kent let go of the bars and took a step back. Ursula slowly looked at Mark. "Well." She continued, "He was _going_ to be, at least. But on the day he was supposed to be honored with the title officially was the day he was assassinated. But that's not true at all, I mean, after all, he's right there." Ursula let go of a silent Lyn and continued, spreading her arms in great gesture. "No, in actuality, he's nothing more than a deserter who abandoned his country, his people…" she paused. "...his family. Everyone, just because he didn't want to take the job folks."

"You backed me up!" Mark shouted, still refusing to cry. "You agreed with me! Urs I trusted you with my very life, why are you doing this to me!? We're siblings! Who's making you-" He stopped himself, realizing. He fought vainly against his bindings. Ursula was always better than him after all, it seemed. Ursula turned to him sadly, and mouthed one last word. _Father._ With that, she snapped and undid his bindings, the gates, everything. Her guards walked back in, brushing past a shocked Lyndis's Legion. Mark slumped to the floor, feeling his world crumble beneath him. Ursula walked up to him and lifted him his chin. She smiled evilly, tears in her eyes.

"One more request from the client brother. But at least it's something you're good at." She blinked the tears out and raised her voice. "We're taking the boy now, Grand Mage General, sir. You've now been ordered to stop us." She stepped away and turned to her guards. "You've served me well. You will be remembered." She said to them, before quietly walking out of the bar, hopping onto her horse, and riding away. Her guards saluted her, already knowing their fates. Mark watched her leave. He heard her guards draw their weapons.

"Mage General! You have been asked to be killed by us by a client. Be ready to receive the Fang's justice!" The leader said. Lyn stood and drew her sword.

"Like we would let you!" She shouted, turning to the rest of the group, still at the entrance. "Come on, let's help… Mark…" She looked out at the sunken faces. The only two who weren't looking away were Erk and Matthew. Erk look at Mark pained, but didn't offer help, since Serra was pulling him away. Matthew just stood there, observing, hands in pockets. "W-What is wrong with you all!" Lyn said incredulously. She turned back to Mark. "Don't worry Mark, I'll…" She trailed off again.

Mark slowly rose to his feet, his head still bowed. Now that Ursula was gone, he couldn't hold in his crying. He slowly began to chant under his breath. He shakily raised a hand.

"Before he can do anything, attack!" One of the Fang members shouted, eliciting a battle cry. As they plunged at him, Mark jumped up onto the table and swept his leg into them all in a row, knocking them over. He finished his chant. Slowly, their weapons began to melt. They cried in pain as the steel dripped down onto their hands, fusing their now useless weapons onto their bodies. After that, Mark grabbed the closest one by the shirt, lit her on fire, and tossed her into the rest. Soon, all of the guards were on fire, searching for a way to put out the fire. Mark slowly walked among them, touching them to keep up the flames. Eventually he paused, said a small incantation, and clenched a fist. _I'm sorry._ He thought, as he closed his eyes.

Even with his eyes closed, what happened next lit up the room so much that Mark could only recoil. The sound was worse, as he slowly heard living beings become nothing but dust. When everything was settled and he opened his eyes, all that was left were four scorch marks on the bar's floor. Mark quietly let his hand drop. He had never raised his head once during the entire fight, not only out of shame for what he was doing, but shame of what he was. The encounter with Ursula tipped Mark's already deteriorating ability to remain optimistic from the realm of unlikely to the realm of impossibility. There was no escape, neither literal nor figurative from who he was. A coward. A traitor. A fool. A deserter. An enforcer. And most hauntingly, and true of all, he was a killer.

* * *

After seeing what had happened to their compatriots, the rest of the Fang was quick to give up. Mark sat on a hill overlooking the town, his arms around his legs, knees pulled to his chest. He watched his friends stir among the town in silent contemplation. He refused to believe deep down that Ursula would do something like that to him unless she was forced, and if her final word to him alone, father, was anything to go by, then he was the one who put her up to it. Mark couldn't think of anyone else who would force this sort of thing onto the both of them. This begged the question however of whether Mark's father knew where he was, or if he had just put Urs up to it for whenever she found him. She obviously wasn't there for Mark, and was surprised when he was there in the bar, which lead Mark to believe in the latter choice, that it was pure chance.

Mark carefully went over everything Urs said, searching for some sort of clue, but the only things that felt genuine about the encounter were when they were drinking at the bar together and when she would mouth words at him. It was a system they had picked up training together under their father so that he wouldn't catch them talking to each other during training. This was also why Mark refused to cry in front of his big sister, a problem which he never had with his younger one. Urs always had it harder than he did in terms of training under their father. Mark always figured she had more to deal with than he did, and refused to show weakness so she wouldn't worry about him. This was the closest he had ever gotten to losing it in front of her. With little information to go on, the only real conclusion that Mark could reach was that even though this was an isolated incident, there was no real escape. The fact that his father was willing to put a _hit_ on him and make such a show of it only stood as proof that he was willing to go to great lengths get him back in Etruria. This was probably his only warning.

Mark quietly did the math of how far Caelin was from this small town, and then how long it would take him to run back to Etruria. He obviously couldn't stay with the group afterwards, but he figured Lyn would be able to convince him to stay for the rest of this march on the castle. After all, it's not like he ever _wanted_ to leave, he just felt like he had no choice. Just then, who should interrupt his train of thought but Florina, gently flying towards him on her steed. Soon she landed a little ways behind him and sat down a few feet away.

"U-Um." She stammered out. "L-Lyn wanted me to tell you to come back down now." She said. Mark had flown himself up here using wind magic immediately after what he did so that no one would have to interact with him. If he had thought it through more, he could have realized Florina would just be sent in their place.

"Sorry." He said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't a-apologize." She said, looking away. "I know you definitely had your r-reasons. After all, there are some s-scary things about you in rumors and… such." She awkwardly finished. Mark sighed and levitated some rocks around himself.

"Trust me, I know. They're well deserved bad publicity." He said. "Hey Florina, I'm sorry you had to see that. I know you don't like it."

"I-I think I'm getting used to it." She said. Mark blinked at her. Only a few weeks earlier had she literally run away from him when he'd done something similar. Now she was acting like it didn't bother her, even though it surely must have.

"...You're concern for me is nice and all, but it's not something you should ever get used to." He looked down. "Again, just trust me on that one."

"Uh... yeah." She affirmed. She was visibly shaking. Mark wished he wasn't a monster so he could do something about it. "B-but still, Grand Mage General is no joke." She said, shooting him a look out of the corner of her eye. "Somehow I can't say I'm surprised though. You definitely deserve the title. I mean, you're b-brilliant!" She said. "The way you lead us is always thought out an-and you treat us all well." She said happily. Mark continued looking down. "S-so… come back down now?" She said, lightly trailing off at the end.

"...No. I'll pass." he said flatly. "Thanks. I'll sleep up here tonight. It's probably best anyways."

Florina sat in silence for a while before slowly scooting closer. "I-I can stay too. We can just set a fire in the middle, and then-"

"No." Mark said.

"No, it's ok, really, you'd be so lonely up here and-"

"No."

"I'll be quiet, like I'm not even here and that way-"

Mark pounded his fist into the ground and lit his entire arm on fire. He grit is teeth. "NO DAMMIT!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "LEAVE ALREADY! DO YOURSELF A DAMN FAVOR AND PUT AS MUCH ELIMINE DAMNED DISTANCE BETWEEN US AS POSSIBLE BEFORE ONE OF US GETS HURT!" He panted heavily from his outburst, extinguishing his arm. He turned back to the village. "Because it sure as hell isn't going to be me." He said coldly. The fact that Florina was still trying to be nice to him was only making him feel worse. He just needed a night, he wasn't going anywhere. "I'm not leaving. I'll be down in the morning." He said steely. He turned to her. She wasn't crying, to his surprise, but she was hurt. He didn't care right then. "Good. Night." He said, staring her down. She quietly got up and went to her pegasus. As she got there, she turned and smiled at him.

"Good night Mark!" She said, clear eyes, no stammer. "I'll make sure everyone knows how cool you really are by morning. Leave it to me!" She said, hopping onto her pegasus. Before Mark could say another word, she flew off to the town below. Mark quietly watched her slowly diminishing form before turning onto his side. He dug a small fire pit next to himself, threw in some grass, lit it on fire, and closed his eyes.

 _Alright 'Grand Mage General',_ he mocked himself in his mind. _You only have a week at most before father sends something at you again to bring you home. Make it count._

 **A/N: You know I should really be asleep at I'm waking up soon, but I'm on break right now so I definitely wanted to crank out another chapter this weekend, hence why it's on the shorter side again. I really hope this grand reveal is interesting to you guys as it's pretty much the core of Mark's past. I've been trying to dance around revealing this as much as possible, but now felt like the time to give this info to you guys. I like to think of it like this: You now have the outside part of the puzzle, the corners, the walls etc. Now it's time to fill in the inside (slowly, over many, MANY more chapters, of course) Anyway, as always guys thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Peace! -Matt**


	15. A leader accepts hopelessness

Mark was awoken by a light kick to the back. He ignored it. He was kicked again. Sighing, he rolled over to find Erk looking down at him. Erk wasn't smiling, but he didn't look mad either. He just looked over all concerned. Mark didn't want to deal with this yet, but looking at the sun he had slept in anyway. Plus, of everyone in Lyndis's Legion, Erk was the one he wanted to talk to the most. After all, Erk not only knew Mark best as a person, but knew the most about his background too. The two mages just stared at each other for a few minutes, before Erk kicked him lightly again.

"I'm awake. What do you need with me?" Mark said, slipping into his formal speech in his tired state.

"Oh, I don't know, I guess I just want you to be up, already, I'm getting bored with you sleeping this late." Erk said.

"Well, I'm up." Mark said, sitting up drearily. "How did you even get up here? You don't know wind magic."

"Well, I _didn't_ know wind magic." Erk said, smirking. "But, obviously, I do now. Thank my teacher for that."

"Stop calling him that. It make him sound important or something." Mark said bitterly. "He's a failure and a disgrace. Besides, he only took you in a week or two before I left, how did he teach you so much so quickly?"

Erk shrugged. "Maybe he's just better than you give him credit for. You sound like your father right now."

Mark immediately felt a surge of anger and lit his arms on fire threateningly, the fire covering his sleeves without burning them. "Erk I'm going to-" he stopped himself. He put his arms out and looked down in shame. Erk didn't deserve any of that. No one did, it was nobody's fault but Mark's. "...Sorry."

Erk nodded sagely. "You seem stressed." He said sarcastically.

Mark rolled his eyes but felt himself smiling. "Yeah, guess you could say that." He scratched his neck and yawned. "You can tell the others I'll be down soon. I just want to collect myself so I don't have an outburst again or something."

Erk laughed. "Oh, the others left for a nearby fort. Apparently Nils's sister… you remember Nils right?" He asked. Mark nodded, remembering the child from the bar. "Right, well apparently his sister Ninian's ring was stolen and Lady Lyn being the kind person she is decided that everyone would go and retrieve it. Except you. And me." He finished awkwardly.

Mark blinked a few times trying to ignore the thought that he had been left behind by the only handful of people he currently cared about. "...Ok. A day off?"

Erk nodded, "Yes, they told me to let you rest, but it's starting to get late into the day so I figured I would wake you up now. Hence why I'm here."

"I see." Mark said, pulling up his hood and casually leaning back onto the Earth. "Well, I'm up and apparently it's my day off. What do you want to do, Erk?" Mark didn't really think this would help at all but he wasn't going to turn it down either. "Also, how did you even get away from Serra?"

Erk sighed and sat down next to Mark. "Well, personally I want to eat. There's a few restaurants in town that I thought you might like so we could take a tour of those. Other than that, there's nothing really striking about this town. As for Serra…" Erk looked away and sadly palmed the now significantly smaller pouch of gold at his belt. "Well… She's uh… given me leave thanks to some… donations." Erk sounded like he was almost about to cry. He likely took a significant pay cut to take the day off, and knowing Serra… Well, regardless, Mark appreciated it.

"Sure." Mark said sitting up. "Restaurants. I'll pay."

Erk sniffled. "Bless your soul Mark."

The first restaurant they went to was a small seafood shack by a lake. The food wasn't necessarily good, but it was better than the random animals Dorcas had been cooking after Wil brought them back from the forest. Next was a combination bakery and tea shop. Here, Erk and Mark decided to sit for a while. It was on a hill overlooking the rest of the town. After ordering tea and pastries, the two sat at a small table. They'd hardly talked at all. Mark was simply too deep in his own world to enjoy a day with his childhood friend.

Erk sat back in his chair and tapped a small rhythm on his knee. Finally he slapped his hand onto the table to grab Mark's attention. "Alright." He said. "Lay it on me. I'm ready now."

Mark quietly looked up before looking back down in sadness. "...I'm going to be forced back into Etruria aren't I?"

"Yes." Erk said seriously. "You are."

Mark knew this, but it still hurt to hear. "Right." He said, scratching his head.

"But so what?" Erk continued, face unchanging.

Mark looked at his friend in confusion. "So what?" He bagan. "So what is that I have to face everything I said and did before I left. So what is that if my father doesn't kill me on sight, I still have to become Mage General. So what is that Ursula is a member of the Black Fang because I left, and it won't even be for any purpose other than a few months 'vacation'. So what is that I have to leave my new friends, maybe even before we've instated Lyn onto her throne. So what is-"

"Your fingertips are shooting lightning between themselves." Erk said calmly. Mark looked down and shook his hand, stopping the flow of magic.

He looked down, embarrassed. He really needed to get that under control. "Yeah, sorry. Look, my point is simply that there is quite a lot of 'so what' to consider here."

Erk nodded sagely. Their tea had arrived. After taking a sip of his, Erk looked back at Mark. "So, are you going to run away?"

"Like hell I am." Mark spat out before taking a sip of his own drink. "I can't just see this whole thing halfway through. I'm the group's tactician. They rely on me and my abilities, at least to an extent."

"Yet they left for a fight without you." Erk said bluntly. Mark stared at him in cold silence. Erk shrugged. "They did. What else can be said about it?"

Mark silently cursed that it was an undeniable fact he had been left behind. Even if it wasn't a big fight, Mark felt like they still should have let him know. "Yeah, I know. You're right. You're always right." Mark said, giving up and leaning back in his chair.

Erk nodded. "About time you learned that. Anyways, what is to say you can't just run away again once they take you back? I'll gladly help."

Mark shrugged and took another sip. "I don't know. I guess… increased security around the manor? Maybe even father himself at my back? Any number of things, really. They don't want me to escape again, I'm sure."

Erk rolled his eyes. "Well, yes, but you're the _Mage General_. You can take on a few armed guards."

Mark drank his tea in thought. "First of all," he began, "I'm never going to be the Mage General. Even if I have the title, even if I lead the mage army, I'll never accept it. And, if I don't accept it, I'll never truly take the role. Second, I suppose you have a point there."

Erk sighed and gently placed his finished cup on it's dish. He leaned onto the table and exhaled loudly. "Mark, I'm going to be honest with you." he started. He paused for a moment, fully gathering his argument. "You really make me angry sometimes." he finally said. "I mean, it's just unfair, in so many different ways. You are born into a rich family, albeit poor circumstances, and you manage to escape them, go travelling, meet an apparent heir and have this whole grand adventure. Things just fall into your lap."

Mark sighed. "Ok, maybe in this case, but being that-"

"I'm not done." Erk cut off firmly. Mark quited himself. Erk continued, "You just… you're too good dammit!" Erk said, laughing slightly as he did. "Seriously, you are way more incredible than you give yourself credit for! You're the next Mage General for a reason."

"Because I was born into it!" Mark countered. "You know that!"

Erk nodded. "Of course. But I wasn't talking about someone like me becoming the next Mage General, I was talking about someone like Ursula, or Cecilia. They're both 'born into it' too, and they're exceptional mages."

Mark sighed. "They're both better mages than me any-"

"See!? Right there!" Erk said, stopping him. "Right there, you refuse to admit how much of a prodigy you really are! Don't you think it's strange how things just fall into your lap? That's what it _looks_ like to the rest of us. In the face of something like that, how is someone like me supposed to even compare? People like me need to work their whole lives to reach the point you're at _now_. And you're not old by any stretch of the imagination."

"You're a prodigy in your own right, Erk." Mark said, still not sure what to make of this conversation.

"Thanks. But that's only in the face of normalcy. In comparison to you?" Erk scoffed and leaned back in his chair.

"... Are you angry with me Erk? Did I do something?" Mark asked.

Erk laughed. "I'm angry that you don't seem to understand that you have the ability to make anything you want happen through sheer force of will. If you want to escape from Etruria again, I truly doubt the entire army could stop you." Erk let that linger.

After a little bit of silence, Mark finally spoke up, "So… what exactly is your point?"

"My point?!" Erk said incredulously, tired of talking around in circles. "Look Mark. If you can escape Etruria at any time you want to, then being forced back is not what you're stressed about. What you're stressed about is that no matter how many times you escape, if you bring your presence up, you'll be dragged back again. Now what does that mean?" Erk prompted.

Mark awkwardly stared, "Uhm… I can't expose myself like I did this time when I escape again."

"Correct. And what does _that_ mean?"

"I don't follow."

"You can't see anyone besides me!" Erks said slamming a fist on the table. "I know I'm your best friend, but I'm now one of a decent number of friends that you don't want to lose. Not to mention you have finally picked up interest in a woman, so there's even more to fight for."

Mark blushed, "Th-there really wasn't time for women when I was being raised to be a killing machine." Mark stuttered in his defence. "Besides, you can't prove even for a moment that I like Florina!" He said confidently. He took a sip of his drink. Erk raised an eyebrow. Mark realised what he said and slowly brought his head back looking at the sky in embarrassment.

Erk held a palm to his forehead, "That's not my point Mark." He said at the end of his rope. "My point is you're sad because you think you won't be able to see everyone again, because if you try to visit such important people you'll be found out like you were this time. Right?" Mark nodded. Erk continued, "Well, you're wrong. Because, like I said, you're the Mage General. You can make anything you want happen. Some of us aren't so lucky. Some of us have to escort annoying nobility instead." Erk, finally satisfied with his point, quietly sighed and leaned back into his chair.

Mark pondered what Erk had just said. It was true to an extent, but of course there was more to it than 'things falling into his lap'. He slowly twirled the small amount of tea left in his glass. Truthfully, he could escape from Etruria again with relative ease, even if they bolstered their defenses. Much as he was loathe to admit it, very few could hold a candle to him in the manor, other than his sisters and his father. The only one who would try to stop him, of course, was his father, but Mark figured it was possible to win that fight if he was clever enough. And, maybe like Erk said, he was smart enough to figure out a way to see the members of Lyndis's Legion. He figured most of them would stay in Caelin, so it wouldn't be too hard to see them all at once. And then, if he got caught again so what? Slowly, thanks to Erk's roundabout and impassioned speech, Mark was starting to rediscover his own confidence that had been diminished by trying to be the perfect tactician for Lyndis's Legion. At the same time though, it made him realize that perfection was going to happen now and again whether he wanted it to or not, as evidenced by the fact he was going to have to go back to Etruria in the first place. Mark resolved that the sooner he accepted that the better.

"... Thanks Erk." Mark said, cracking a wide smile to himself. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You would probably be dead." Erk said casually, nose in a book. "But you're welcome." Mark laughed heartily. The sun was beginning to set. On the horizon, he saw a small group of people slowly making their way back into town. This action caused him to see a quick flash of a red cloak in the corner of his eye. His head immediately snapped towards it. Matthew was running through the alleys of the town, looking very carefully that no one was seeing him and that he wasn't being followed. Soon enough, he spotted Mark. He looked up at him and flashed a toothy grin, waving quietly, before sinking into the shadows. Something about the guy still made Mark uneasy. _Likely,_ he thought to himself, _it's that he's a spy. Of course I'd be nervous about him. As long as he's back though, that means the others are close by._

Mark stood from the table and pulled out some gold coins, placing them on the table as payment. "Alright Erk." He said, feeling refreshed. "Let's go say hello to everyone."

* * *

When Mark and Erk finally made it to the rest of the group, it was immediately apparent that something was off. The first thing that stood out to Mark was a young red-haired man about his age. He was clearly nobility, likely from a nearby area. He had blue armor and a rapier at his side. He was talking very intently to Lyn, who had her head down. The next was a young girl who was limping and leaning on Nils for support. She had a very badly bruised ankle, but her overall appearance was stunning. Mark guess she was a performer of some kind, like her brother appeared to be, because the dress she had on was way too flowy to be a normal, everyday garment. Finally, the blonde monk that was at the bar the night before was accompanying the group. Now close enough to see that the monk was male, he had a small head wound that he was covering with a hand.

"Hey, everyone!" Mark said, running up to them, concern starting to build within him. As he got closer, he noticed more and more things out of place. For a start, Kent and Sain looked so angry they were nearly hitting themselves in blind rage. Their horses were skirtish. Florina was in the sky, alone, flying up to the hill were Mark had spent the night. Serra was sitting on Rath's horse, a massive gash across her stomach. She was silently crying, trying desperately to concentrate through the pain and heal herself. Her staff was near broken. Erk ran up to help her and she collapsed into his arms. He didn't even react, and began immediately treating her. Wil was leading Rath's horse. He had picked up an extra bow somewhere and was twirling it in his hand. Finally, Mark was close enough to see that Lyn had suffered the most damage. She had a gaping hole in her side. Her legs were bruised and bloodied. Mark now saw that the red-haired man wasn't talking to her, he was propping her up. Mark ran up to the pair.

"I'm Mark." He said to the new man. The man looked up, back to Lyn, who quietly nodded, and then up again. He extended a hand.

"Eliwood. Son of Marquess Pherae. I've heard a lot about you." He said. He paused on that for a moment. Mark took it that Eliwood knew exactly who he was, but also his connection to the group. Mark nodded.

"A pleasure. Can you tell me what has happened?" Mark said, slipping back into his formal voice.

Eliwood nodded. "I can. First, help me take everyone to my home. We support Lyn's right to the throne. I'll explain all when they are in a bed and taken care of." Mark thought quickly if there was any reason to doubt Eliwood's word, but quickly dismissed the idea deeming it a necessary risk. With the groups only healer unconscious, and some many members injured, Mark was just going to have to take Eliwood's word for it. He seemed trustworthy enough.

* * *

When the group made it to Eliwood's castle, the members of Lyndis's Legion were quickly taken away to various rooms to be treated. Kent and Sain went to the castle's armory to restock the groups lost supplies, as per suggestion of the Marquess himself. Mark waited in Eliwood's private study as he talked to his father about the situation. Erk was next to Serra's side in a separate room, as she still hadn't woken from blood loss. Wil left soon after everyone arrived to go find Florina and Matthew and bring them to the castle. Mark wasn't honestly sure, where the rest had ended up, or even if they were there. Soon, a knock resounded through the room, and Eliwood stepped in, dressed in simple clothes, his gear removed for the night.

"I apologize for keeping you, sir." Eliwood said, bowing. "It's an honor to have you at our castle." Eliwood seemed like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself. "... I'm sure you wish to know about your friends?" He said, cautiously.

Mark nodded. "Yes. Please start with the worst of it." Mark braced himself mentally. _Logic. Tactician role, not friend role right now._ He chanted to himself. He snapped back into the present. "I know you were all going to that nearby fort to get that girl's ring. I heard you ended up getting it back. Wil told me." Mark leaned forward. "I'm happy about that, but you need to tell me what's wrong. How did you even get mixed up in all this? Please, tell me everything."

Eliwood looked to the side, as if not wanted to face Mark. "You said start with the worst news, correct?"

Mark nodded. "Yes. I'm prepared." _No I'm not._ He thought.

Eliwood cleared his throat. "The ones known as Dorcas and Rath have fallen in battle. We were attacked by surprise as soon as we entered the fort. It was a very short, and very one sided victory for them. Once Lyndis was injured to the point you saw now, Dorcas and Rath quickly told us to run as they desperately held the enemies of the fort back. Rath gave us his horse that we might retreat faster. When I looked back, they were lying dead on the ground, but the enemy did not pursue us. We only got the ring because the thief, Matthew I believe his name was, managed to quietly sneak into the fort as we entered. He joined us later and returned the ring. I haven't seen him since." Mark quietly processed this information.

"And you're sure those two are dead?" Mark asked sadly. Eliwood nodded.

"I do not wish to cause you any trauma with details. They were, without any doubt, dead. I'm sorry." Eliwood said quietly. "I wish I could have done more."

"You've done plenty. I'm sure you're part of the reason the others even escaped." Mark said. He quietly held his clasped hands to his forehead. He breathed a deep sigh. He didn't get to know Rath very well, but Mark held much respect for the man. He was just, clearly against Marquess Araphen's schemes in denouncing Lyn, and over all kind when approached. Dorcas was one of the only enemies that Mark had fought in a duel that managed to give him a real challenge. Once he was an ally, he was one of the kindest and genuinely caring people Mark had ever met. For both of them to be so easily taken as Eliwood described, it must have been quite a surprise attack. Mark quietly said a prayer to St. Elimine for the both of them.

As much as Mark blamed himself for not being there and able to, at least probably, tell that it was a trap, he also found a burning inside of him. Erk's encouragement rang in his ears as he rose. Eliwood raised an eyebrow. "Do you not need any more information?" Eliwood asked. Mark shook his head. The enemy they fought was likely the Black Fang, and if so, they probably wouldn't attack again. Mark had a feeling that Ursula hadn't told anyone about his hit other than her personal guard. He silently thanked her for that.

"No, that's enough. Thank you." He straightened out his coat. "Where is Lyn?" He asked. Eliwood pointed him in the right direction and he slowly walked through the dim castle. Various thoughts slowly swam within his head. Mark did not blame himself for these deaths. I wasn't his decision to be left behind, and even though he wished he could change the past and save them, what was done was done. While there were indeed ways to bring them back, it would be a power equal to a Master level spell. If Mark tried to craft such a thing, it's probable that it would destroy him, and he was still needed. This was his prevailing thought as he quietly whipped a few tears from his face before stepping into Lyn's dimly lit room.

She was sitting up in her bed, staring out the window at the night sky. He was bandaged over most of her body. She was dressed in a simple nightgown from the castle, her hair was also not in her usual style. When she heard Mark enter, she pressed her lips together tightly, showing him a thin smile.

"Lyn." Mark said formally.

"...Mark." She said quietly. She sighed and looked down. "Don't blame yourself. I made the call without asking you first as the groups tactician. The blame falls on me."

Mark quietly walked up, picking up a chair from the desk in the room and placing it at her bedside. He smiled at her genuinely. "Yes. You're right. It is indeed your fault." Lyn looked at him shocked before slowly losing her initial recoil at his confirmation. Slowly her face changed from surprise to sorrow.

"I… I knew that… that's why I said it…" She clutched held a hand over her heart and leaned forward, as if in pain. She started to sob. "But it… it still hurts to hear it."

"I know." Mark said. "That's why I said it." He leaned in, all business. "When you're Marquess, you're going to have to make tough decisions for the good of yourself, and your people. Sometimes, nothing is going to work out the way you want it to, and as unfortunate as that is, it's the truth." _If this whole journey is anything to go by, at least._ He thought to himself. "People might even be mad at your for these decisions and their outcomes. The decisions might be the choice of what important factors of your life to sacrifice. As horrible as it sounds, you need to put on a mask for these moments. You're still our leader, even if you're also a dear friend Lyn."

"Your leader and friend has gotten her friends and comrades killed." She stated flatly. "...Also, you're being hypocritical. You've broken down a lot this quest, that's why I went to the fort without you. You never put on any sort of mask for those moments." She clenched a fist full of bedding. "Y-you even ran away from your own army. Maybe you shouldn't be telling me how to lead one."

Mark gulped. _Ouch._ he thought, "While it's more complex than you're making it sound, you're right, I have no right to lecture you on the matter."

Lyn clenched her teeth. "Then why did you say-"

"Because even if I don't have the right to tell you how to lead an army, I want to help you however I can. I've told you as much before." Mark said, leaning in. "You're right, I haven't been putting what I'm saying into practice. So let me tell you that if there's any quality that a leader shouldn't have, it's doubt." He sighed. "I finally learned something today thanks to Erk. Trying to be the perfect leader, the perfect tactician, the perfect friend? Aiming so high will only make things worse. Of course we as leaders should strive for perfection, but in doing so we can lose sight of the fact that failures are inevitable."

"How can you call Dorcas and Rath just… failures?!" Lyn cried, "They were our dear friends!"

Mark nodded. "That makes it the biggest of failures on our part as leaders. It's always worse when it matters."

Lyn shook with sadness. "If this is what it is to be a leader… I don't ever want to be Marquess." Mark was quiet. Then he laughed quietly. "What?" Lyn asked. Mark waved a hand dismissively.

"Nothing, nothing." Mark said. "I said something similar once. I'm not going to say what you should do, but I will offer…" Mark paused. "You _could_ just run away." He knew this was something she would hate to hear, and he already knew the answer she would give. Lyn wasn't the type to run away from anything. No, rather this whole conversation, in his mind, was to make Lyn fully realise the responsibilities of a leader. Mark wanted to instill as much knowledge as he could into her before he left as possible. Perhaps it was self righteous, arrogant even on his part, but it was what he resolved to do after his talk with Erk. It was inevitable that he was going to be taken back to Etruria. It was inevitable that people were going to die on this campaign, much to his reluctance of course, but inevitable nonetheless. Some things were just unavoidable, no matter how hard you tried or how talented you were. Mark wanted Lyn to understand that as soon as possible. Afterall, Mark's inability to understand that concept is a large part of why he was continually breaking down. _Ironic_ , he thought, _how a speech made to tell me I can to everything with ease made me realize I can't._ He silently thanked Erk again, wondering if Erk meant it that was all along.

"...I could never run away." Lyn said quietly after several long minutes. "I cannot leave my grandfather alone with such an evil granduncle. I cannot leave the people of Caelin who are counting on me. I cannot abandon my friends that are still alive." She paused and shook her head. "But I cannot ignore this pain in my heart."

Mark nodded and placed a hand on Lyn's back, comforting her. He didn't have the heart to tell her her grandfather was already dead. "And you never should!" He insisted. "Never reach a point as a leader where you no longer care if people die, that isn't what I meant by putting on a mask anyway. All I meant was, even though it feels hopeless, never let that hopelessness spread over to those in your command. A true leader is someone who takes that hopelessness in any situation all onto themselves, so that their friends don't have to. That's as simply as I can put it." Mark leaned back in his chair. "That's why I'm not a good leader. You've seen for yourself, I let that hopelessness spread too easily." He said. "But that's why _you_ can even get someone like the 'Grand Mage General' to accompany you. You. Just some plainswoman trying to see her grandfather. You inspire hope in others."

"How?" Lyn said. She wasn't crying anymore.

"If you need proof look at me!" He said. "Or, if you think I'm just an odd case, look at Florina! She's an excellent example of someone you've changed for the better. Someone who you've given hope to. Kent and Sain believe in you for a brighter future of Caelin. Dorcas…" Mark swallowed his sadness. "You inspired Dorcas to fight for a worthy cause, rather than blood money. You're better than you give yourself credit for." Mark finished, borrowing Erk's words.

"... We'll never forget Dorcas and Rath. Right?" Lyn said sadly, eyeing Mark through the corner of her eyes. Mark nodded.

"Of course we won't. How could we? They're our dear friends." Mark assured.

Lyn sighed. "Well… Ok. I think I can live with that." She said sadly. "But it still hurts."

"It should."

"What should we even do now?"

"Well, I'd say we continue to work towards Caelin and put you on the throne."

"I'm nervous. The closer we get the more nervous I am."

"I know." Mark said. "Trust me, so am I."

"Hey Mark…" Lyn said slowly after a long pause. "Can you tell me about being the Mage General? I was raised on the plains, so, I don't even really know what that entails, and I know it's hard for you to talk about, but… you trust me right?" Lyn nervously looked at him. Mark sighed and chuckled lightly. He closed his eyes in thought.

"...Alright." He said finally. "I guess you deserve to know."

 **A/N: This is only really as long as it is to make up for the shorter than usual length of the other two I recently posted. I also just want to say thank you SO much for 50 favs (I was damn happy when I saw that) and I hope I can deliver on peoples hopes. There's a lot to digest in this one, rightly so. Enjoy guys. Probably another chapter before school ends, but def not within the next few weeks, got some big stuff coming up school-wise. Luv ya -Matt**


	16. Vicarious decision

Mark quietly read a book by candle-light in Castle Pherae's massive library. Apparently Eliwood had always enjoyed his reading as a child, and his parents had it built for his tenth birthday. Since then, he had expanded it with his own funding from working around the castle and abroad. Mark found this tidbit of information about Eliwood interesting. His straightforward and honest pursuit of knowledge reminded Mark somewhat of himself. Though as far as he could tell he was slightly older than Eliwood, he felt they would get along.

Laying on the table in front of Mark were several books and maps of Lycia. Mark quietly plotted out the best course of action as he took a small sip from cold tea he kept forgetting he even had in front of him. Pherae was rather close to Caelin, around three days of slower-paced marching if Mark was accurate in guessing. This of course assumed the group took a directly straight line from Pherae to Caelin and faced no opposition along the way, which of course was folly to assume. Mark tiredly held a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, visualizing the map in his mind. First decision he had to make was whether to take the direct path and face Caelin's armies head on, or take longer by marching an indirect but more hidden route. Personally he preferred the later, but he considered the group. Lyn was obviously hurt due to the recent deaths, and still didn't know about her grandfather's death. If Mark was any good at understanding people, she was only going to get more impatient and therefore reckless as they went. If she felt that way it would reflect onto the whole group one way or another. No, the only ones who would be able to mentally handle the longer route would be himself, Erk, and Matthew. Possibly Wil. In addition, the longer Mark took, the longer he ran the risk of being dragged back before he could finish.

Therefore, even though it presented more immediate danger, the quicker route would be better. No matter what it was essentially that as many people as possible were still mentally sane by the time they reached Caelin castle. Taking a castle with only a handful of people even in top condition was hard enough, any doubt or lack of motivation would be crippling. Mark sighed and leaned back into his chair, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments of rest, he leaned back forward and continued to plot his course. Assuming the group took a purely direct path to Caelin, Mark figured they'd have two or three more major battle, and a handful of smaller skirmishes throughout. Concentrating on the map, Mark quietly reached into his massive pack and pulled of a handful of pins. He started by mapping out where he would place his forces if he was the enemy commander. After that, he lowered his standards and placed pins again. He repeated this process several times, using different pin heights to indicate which places were more likely to have enemies than others. Eventually, the whole section of map between Pherae and Caelin had pins in them. Mark leaned back and carefully held the map up to the light one more time to go over his work. After removing one or two pins, a total of twenty seven practical locations for the enemy to ambush them remained. Sighing and placing the map on the table, he took out his paints and began to mark a seperate map with the same spots, using colors to do what the pin's height had done before. Once he was done, he pulled the pins out of the first map and, after folding it, put it aside. The second map he left to dry as he picked up a book on Caelin's history, hoping it would give him some insight as to what Lundgren would do.

After reading for a little while, he heard footsteps approaching the library's entrance. Mark raised an eyebrow, bringing his eyes off his book and to the door. He quickly placed his tome on the table like it belonged there, just in case. Soon, an older version of Eliwood walked in. Mark immediately guessed it was the Lord of the castle, Marquess Elbert. If Eliwood had a more defined jawline and a moustache, these two would be indistinguishable from each other. Mark had learned the Marquess's name from Eliwood. Elbert carried himself with a prideful, yet reasonable air. While Elbert obviously seemed to hold himself to a high standard, he still gave off a very comfortable demeanor, so much so that Mark almost wasn't dreading the coming conversation. Yet, Mark was ready for anything. He swallowed lightly, standing from his chair and bowing.

"Lord Elbert. Then you for allowing us to spend the night in your castle." Mark said, cursing himself for slipping into his over-polite mannerisms. Lord Elbert held up a hand and gestured for Mark to sit down, which he did. Elbert didn't reply, and instead looked around the library for something. Mark went back to his book. Maybe Elbert didn't want anything from him after all. He was wrong. Just as Mark forgot about him, Elbert sat across the table and set down a large ornate box.

He paused. "... I'm not sure how to ask this of you, Mage General." Elbert began. Mark quietly eyed the box. "I am very proud as a leader. I have worked diligently not only for my land, by for all the land of Lycia. I'm proud of the villages under my domain, for instance. They export many goods, are happy, and spread that happiness among themselves. I'm proud of my son. He will be an even better leader than I am one day." He nervously tapped the box. Mark wondered why Elbert was telling him any of this. "You see, this pride of mine sometimes leaves me blind to the needs of the common, or to the mundane. I cannot always help but wonder if there are always things I'm missing in my leadership that I simply do not even realize are there. The other day, I received a very… pressing letter." He said, looking down and scowling. "This letter has left me with a choice that is nearly impossible to decide upon. Do I act upon what is good for my people, or do I leave things as they are and not do anything too drastic? I simply don't know." Elbert looked up. _Please, PLEASE do not ask me what you should do._ Mark thought silently, face unchanging. Elbert stared into Mark's eyes, saying nothing, mind racing. "...Usually when I find myself in such situations I turn to my son. He's a bright lad, but I already know his answer, and it is biased. This is to be expected, as he is not yet feeling the weight of leadership that comes with his birthright. And so…" Elbert trailed off and opened the ornate box to reveal…

"A board game?" Mark said, surprised. "I thought you were going to ask me what you should do?" Mark asked.

Elbert nodded as he set up the pieces. "I am. My son and I love this game. It is a very effective way to pick up and practice strategies. I'm sure a tactician like yourself that is able to work so diligently into the night will take to it like a fish to water."

"And you don't ask your son to play with you because…?" Mark said quietly.

Elbert laughed. "Well, how often does one have a Mage General in his home? This is a good opportunity for me to practice, as well as get a fresh answer." Soon the board was set up. It was a very simple game. The board was split into various landscapes that all had varying effects on the pieces. Then, the pieces themselves came in red and blue variants, representing two armies, a total of ten pieces on each side. Each piece had a number from one to ten on it. The goal was simple. You were allowed set up your pieces anywhere in any order on your side of the field, with the number's facing the controlling player. Pieces could only be captured and defeated by a number higher, the same, or one lower. For instance, seven could be captured by a six or above. Terrain on the board would affect the pieces on it by simple addition of subtraction. For instance, the forests added plus two to any given pieces value, while the tundra took two away. Only one piece could be moved every turn, and only one space. These were all the rules.

"I see." Mark said, after listening to Elbert's explanation of the game. "But what does this have to do with the letter? I do not know anything of the details. A board game is hardly related, no?" Mark finished.

Elbert shook his head. "You will see. I'll force you into the same position, and we will see what you do."

Mark sighed and closed his book. "I have no emotional attachment to these pieces, Lord Elbert. In a decision between something important to you, and something for the good of everyone, this is a poor-"

Elbert looked up from the board with a stern look on his face. "I understand your hesitation. Please, indulge me. Consider it payment for your night in my castle." Mark stared silently and set up his pieces. The game began slowly, one piece moving one space every turn kept things simple for a long time. However, once the pieces were more spread out, and neither side had opted to try and take a piece yet, things took a more interesting turn. Mark calmly surveyed the board. A piece would certainly be taken within the next few moves, since space was becoming more and more sparse. The question became whether or not he should make the first strike. Deciding to try his luck, he took his seven and attacked a nearby piece unconnected to the rest of Elberts pieces. A nine. Mark smiled and removed his piece from play. Elbert laughed and moved another piece.

"Do not worry." He said. "The game is still only begun."

"I'm not worried." Mark said flatly. "This is a vital step towards victory."

"Oh?" Elbert said. "So a sacrifice is necessary if it give you important information then?"

Mark bit his lip. "...Yes. Sometimes."

Elbert nodded sagely. "And this happens to be one of those times, I see." He said. They continued quietly. Elbert's pieces had converged into a ball in the terrain that gave his pieces the largest disadvantage. His nine was on the other side of the board. Mark had soon surrounded this ball, encircling it and keeping his pieces on the pain tiles, giving them no advantages, but no disadvantages. If Elbert wanted to break through, he would need very good luck.

"Lord Elbert, with all due respect." Mark said, "It may be wise to surrender. I know that you last piece that can move around safely is a nine. You are still unaware of what any of my pieces could be. Your pieces are on disadvantageous tiles. I've also deduced that these three pieces," Mark pointed to three of Elbert's pieces, "Are your one, two, and ten respectively. Perhaps it would be wise…" Mark squinted at the board. He leaned in. "Wait but if…" He trailed off. Elbert simply smiled, grabbed a piece, and attacked Mark's six with his eight, the only piece in his outer wall with any value. With the minus three penalty, it was barely enough to take the piece. Now there was a hole in Mark's defence. None of this is what bothered Mark. It was the placement of his lowest and highest pieces. The lower pieces were acting as a wall for the higher pieces. In this game, lower pieces were at a very distinct disadvantage to every other piece. Even a two could be taken by every piece in the game at base value. Therefore, they were only best used as decoys, or as bluffs. But with the way Elbert was currently set up, his wall was made of complete frailty. With the minus three penalty on the tiles his pieces were on, his highest number in his outer wall was likely around two or three. Why? It drove Mark crazy. Maybe by using the eight it was a ploy to get Mark to believe that the entire outerwall of the pieces were made of the highest numerical values, but Mark was certain the rest of the outer wall was made of the weakest pieces. This was not a feasible strategy at all. The only way the same strategy could maybe work is if the tiles were the additional three point tiles, rather than the subtracting ones. At least that way his wall would have some fortitude.

This is when it hit Mark. Elbert knew that Mark would be able to tell which pieces were what from the way Elbert played. Afterwall, Mark was the Mage General, an incredibly learned individual with strategy as a very forefront art. If Mark had realized it much later, the nine would already have swooped in to clean out his entire army. Afterall, the nine was able to take out any piece in the game. Now Mark had a choice. Did he confront the ridiculous strategy of Elberts wall of pieces, or leave things as they were and deal with the nine only once it arrived?

Mark wasn't sure how long he was sitting there, but eventually Elbert cleared his throat. "I now think you have some insight to my problem, as well as my strategy, yes? Either way, in this situation, you will come out the victor. I know that. I had no hope of beating you in the first place. This whole game was for this moment. What do you think you should do? Wait? Attack? I am ready for your answer." Mark stared at the board.

"...If I wait to attack you now that I've realized your weak defences, it would be foolish of me in a real life scenario." Mark started. Elbert Nodded. "But… why would you do something like that if this wasn't a game? In real life there is no reason not to put your more durable soldiers on the front lines. This is the equivalent of battle clerics being in front of armored knights. Whatever that ball is supposed to represent, it makes no sense. It simply cannot be the case." Mark paused. "But… if I wait…" Mark closed his eyes and sighed. "Then… then I'm not taking advantage of the fact that you are at your weakest possible moment. I am running a higher risk of your nine taking out half my pieces before I take all of yours. Either way, I'll win, as you said, but…" Mark wasn't sure why he felt such hesitation in attacking Elbert's defenses. Perhaps because he was trying to reason what real life scenario would be so hopeless in Elbert's eyes that he was portraying through such a poor defense. After all, that cluster of nine pieces should have much more priority than his one, stranded piece.

"And thus… your answer?" Elbert asked. Mark took a piece and started breaking into Elbert's cluster of pieces. Soon, the board was cleared other than Elbert's nine. Mark still had every piece but his seven and six. "I see." Elbert said. He leaned back and began to casually put his pieces back into the box. "You are a brilliant strategist hmm?"

"You made it obvious on purpose because you're trying to prove a point." Mark said, picking up his book again. "I would be willing to do this again another day where we are both trying our hardest." Mark thought a moment and put his book down again as Elbert was putting the box back. "Lord Elbert." Mark said.

Elbert chuckled. "The Mage General certainly doesn't need to call me lord. You outclass me greatly, but your humility is appreciated. What is it?"

Mark hesitated. "...What is your dilemma? What were you trying to portray in that game? What situation is that hopeless, to straightforward, yet so complicated?"

Elbert looked away. "...Those are matters of Lycian nobles, Mage General. I do not expect you to divulge matters of Etruria to me. I should, in all honesty, have never told you any of this, but I felt that I must. I thank you for indulging me so." Elbert turned on his heels, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mage General."

"... Of course Lord Elbert. But, while I'm here, travelling…" Mark opened his book again. "It's just Mark."

Elbert chuckled. "Yes, the traitor, the vagabond, the wanderer. The ever elusive…" Elbert paused and sighed. "...Mark. I thank you again. I have matters to attend to in the morning. I do hope we can meet again one day."

Mark nodded and returned to his book. "I must say Lord Elbert. I hope we can too." He said to himself.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys. Next chapter we are back on the road and back to some action. I just thought we could stand a little lore/world building before so. What better chance that after everyone is recovering from a massive break in morale? It should be relatively obvious for those familiar with 7's story just what Elbert might be contemplating over in this chapter, and I felt it was important for Mark to have at least one interaction with him before we get into Eliwood/Hector mode. In other news, I'm on summer now so I'm going to try and update this story every week or so while I'm available to actually do so. I know that I'm hyped, personally. I hope you guys are too. Till next time, as always thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day/night! :D -Matt (I added this to make it just over 3000 words, mwahaha) EDIT: Fixed stuff. :)**


	17. Start fresh

Mark never actually went to bed from his night in the library. Once the sun started streaming through the window, he quickly drank the rest of his cold tea and ran through the castle towards the center of town. Before he got out of the castle however, he ran into a pair of knights.

Kent and Sain were standing near the entrance, talking quietly to one another which Mark had noticed they did with much more frequency since Araphen. Kent noticed him first. "Why hello there Mark." Kent said politely, bowing at the waist. Sain smirked and looked to the side, raising a quick hand in greeting to Mark. Mark dismissively waved a hand.

"No need for the formalities Kent, we know each other pretty well by this point. Do you need anything? I was just heading out for supplies before we march." Mark replied.

"No, no, I'm quite al-" Kent started before being brushed to the side by Sain, who stood in front of the door with his arms crossed. Kent brushed his chest and eyed Sain carefully, aware of something Mark wasn't. Sain was uncharacteristically serious. Mark bit his lip.

"Hey Mark." Sain said plainly. He looked down, seemingly unsure what to say now that he had blocked Marks path. "... You've heard about the deaths, right? I'm sure someone told you." Rather than respond, Mark just nodded. Sain sighed and looked to the side. "Figures its the one time we don't have you around, right?" Mark was still unsure how to respond to this odd advance. Kent stepped in and stood next to Sain, facing Mark.

"I'll do it, Sain. Don't strain yourself." Kent said calmly. Sain visibly lost tension and stepped to the side, chuckling nervously.

"Thanks… Was never good at this you know? It's so stressful to-" Sain started.

"Sain." Kent shot him a look and a small hand gesture. Sain stopped talking. Mark turned his attention to Kent. "Mark." Kent said politely. "To put it bluntly we are concerned." Kent started.

"I'm alright, I had time to process the news." Mark said, walking quickly towards the exit behind Kent in an attempt to avoid this awkward situation. Kent held out and arm, blocking his path. Mark sighed. "I have business in town-" Mark began.

"No you don't. Not right now." Kent said sternly, looking down at Mark. _Was he always taller than me?_ Mark thought. "When I said we were concerned about you, I did not mean how you were handling the news." Kent continued. "You may have forgotten, but that assassin revealed you as the Mage General to _all_ of us. You cannot hide that fact anymore."

"It fills in a lot about your background that we caught on to, too." Sain chimed in. "You don't seem particularly rich just from appearance, but you slip into a refined way of speaking when you stop thinking about it. Also, if you weren't some kind of noble, where would you have studied to learn everything you know? I mean, being honest this journey should just be another notch on your belt for someone like you. Nothing serious. Games, even." Sain sighed. "I like messing around as much as the next guy but that kind of hurts to think about. Are you just bored?" Sain looked genuinely hurt.

"No, guys, you're overthinking this." Mark said, pushing Kents hand away and facing the duo. "I just ran away, met Lyn, we found you guys, I decided to come along."

"And that's exactly the problem." Kent said steely. "Why would the Mage General of Etruria run away in the first place? Once he has, why would he involve himself in a petty dispute in a foreign land? I can think of a few reasons…" Kent said suggestively. Mark was completely taken aback. Overnight two of his friends had turned against him.

"...Are you suggesting that I am a spy or something?" Mark asked.

Sain shook his head. "Nope, that doesn't make sense either." He began. "If Etruria wanted to send a spy, they wouldn't send you, let's be honest. You're too important of a person for them to send. Before you get ahead of yourself, we know they didn't send you to help either. That makes less sense than being a spy."

"So where does that leave us, Mark?" Kent said, staring Mark down. "Are we just to believe you found your way to Lady Lyndis by pure happenstance, and-"

Mark snapped. Maybe he should have slept. "I found her before _either_ of you!" Mark shouted. Kent and Sain both recoiled, instinctively putting their hands to their belts, though they were unarmed. Their eyes turned hard. "What is the matter with _both_ of you?" Mark continued, wildly jerking his arms around to punctuate his words. "I've proven time and time again how committed I am to this cause! I've given you sound direction!" Mark was surprised at his own words. Perhaps Erk had given him a bit too much of a confidence boost. "If you want to argue that I knew Lyn was Marquess Caelin before we met you two, the explain how in St Elimine's name I could have _possibly_ known! She was alone on the plains when I met her and she saved my life! I've fought alongside you, I've killed in her name, I am your tactician dammit-"

"AND YOU DRANK TEA AND ATE DESSERTS WHILE YOUR FRIENDS DIED!" Kent stepped forward, angry for the first time Mark had ever seen. "Why the hell should we believe anything you say? You don't even feel bad do you?! I'm sure you've killed plenty of people, probably even people you care about, so why would _those_ two bother you in the slightest!" Kent grit his teeth and started walking towards a stunned Mark.

Sain jogged up and put a hand on Kent's shoulder. "Hey, Kent, come on we've known him for a while now, I'm sure-" Kent shook off Sain's hand and continued to stare Mark down.

"You're despicable." Kent said, full of venom. "That's what you are, always have been, and always will be. You're nothing if not for your title and your silver spoon. I'm beginning to wonder if everything you've done for us has been some kind of act to try and convince us you aren't a mindless killing machine. Fighting with us, giving me that gold for saving Erk's life, laughing with us, helping Sain heal? Was all of that just to try and convince us you were normal? And what's the first thing you do now that we learn you're the Mage General? Is it comforting Lyndis as she grieves? No you take it as an opportunity to rub failure in her face and tell her to move on mere _hours_ after she nearly died having watched her friends die. What is wrong with _us_?" Kent questioned, now centimeters away from Mark. "No Mark. Not us." He leaned in. "What is wrong with _you_? We're not your troops, and Lyndis isn't your student. We are all supposed to be your friends." Kent leaned back, standing straight up. "Or do you not even know what those are, 'almighty' General?"

"Kent!" Sain cried. "What are you doing? We were just supposed to express our concerns with him!"

"I AM!" Kent shouted again, shooting a cold gaze back at Sain.

Sain didn't flinch, and instead stepped towards Kent. "Clearly." He said sarcastically. "But this isn't what Lady Lyndis would want. She trusts Mark, and we should trust _her_ even if we can't trust _him_. You know? Like our job says?"

Kent paused and slowly slouched back into his normal, polite posture. "...Right." He turned to Mark. "I know you must have had your reasons for keeping quiet, and whatever reason you decided to come along with Lyndis in the first place isn't necessarily our business. But know this." Kent cleared his throat. "We are knights of Caelin. We will not hesitate to eliminate any threat to Caelin's future, or it's rightful heir. Even if it means fighting one of the most powerful mages on the continent." Kent said sternly. He moved out of the way from the exit. Mark didn't move. He continued looking down. "What's the matter? Go on." Kent said.

"...Why…" Mark said quietly. He thought about all the work he had done to understand the knights from the moment they joined the group. They were his first companions other than Lyn, he helped keep Sain alive, bonded over the fact they both had sisters. Sain offered to help him with Florina, cheered him up when he was down, and was always smiling. Kent and Mark had terse but insightful interactions, exchanging polite conversation whenever they came across each other. Mark had given him elixirs for his wounds, forced the man to take breaks. Furthermore, Kent had saved his best friend's life, a debt Mark was still unsure how to repay. He had known the knights almost as long as he had known Lyn, of course he cared about them. Now that they knew he was the Mage General, it was like none of that had happened. "Why would you ever think I'm trying to stop you… or Lyn…?" Mark's throat felt tight. "I've done nothing wrong haven't I? I'm not even supposed to be here!" Mark said, pathetically laughing to himself. Kent and Sain remained silent observers. "I'm not even going to be here for the end at this rate!" He was getting louder. "I'm going to be dragged back to Etruria within days of now. I might not even get to say goodbye to anyone, let alone Lyn. After that… I mean who knows honestly? I _think_ I can escape again but hell if I know if I _actually_ can."

"Why do you need to escape from your own people though?" Sain asked.

"Don't bother Sain." Kent said, normal, calm self again. "Let him get it out. He heard me out in full."

Mark paused. "I… might even die when I go back." Mark finally said. "I mean I guess I'm a traitor at the end of the day. Ursula said as much to you all. Maybe I've been being too optimistic about all this. Or Erk was just really good at making me feel better." Mark paused again. He was having a hard time putting all this into words after Kent's surprising verbal assault. "... You guys really don't trust me now that you know… do you?" The realization was hitting him like a brick on multiple levels. As future Mage General, it made him disgusted with himself that his name held such despair in others. As tactician, it was incredibly dangerous if no one trusted him. As a friend, it just made him depressed. "Don't answer that. You guys made yourselves clear." He turned away. "I'm… I'm sorry that that's how you feel. I think if this were only a week ago, this would be where I said goodbye and just gave up. Everything I dreaded has happened at this point. But… you know?" Mark took a deep breath and smiled and Kent and Sain. "Erk taught me something the other day. And I think since then… Since then I've been excited on the same level as when I first escaped Etruria. I want to be with you guys, I want to fight alongside you, I want to take over the castle, I want to put Lyn on the throne, and I want to do it all with a smile on my face because finally, _finally_ , it's actually something that _I_ want to do." Mark stuck out a hand to both of them. "If that means working doubly hard to earn your trust all over again, then so be it. It's worth it."

Kent and Sain shot each other a look. Sain smiled and shook Mark's hand. "Hey, Mark, that's all I needed to hear. I'm not worried at all any more!" He said happily. He really didn't like being so suspicious of Mark. He turned to Kent and gestured to Mark's hand. "...Ahem...?" He said.

Kent looked down at Mark without moving his head. "...I do not regret anything I said, and I stand by it wholeheartedly. However…" Kent coughed. "...I must also say that it… truly makes me happy that you are willing to prove your loyalty over again. I look forward to your efforts, I really do. Until then…" He brushed Mark's hand away lightly. "Well until then I have my eye on you. That's all. Thank you for understanding Mark."

"Aw come oooooooon." Sain said, annoyed. "How about an 'I'm sorry for yelling at you Mark', eh?"

"But I'm not sorry." Kent said, confused.

Sain sighed. "Right well whatever." Sain lugged an arm around Mark and pulled him along toward the exit of the castle. Mark yelped.

"Where are you going, Sain?" Ken asked, leaning against the wall and folding his arms.

"Mark said he was going to town to pick up some stuff right?" Sain said.

"Supplies." Mark corrected.

"Right, right." Sain ignored, still calling over to Kent. "Anyway, I'm just cashing in on a promise I made to him a little while ago. I'll be back by the time we leave tonight to march." Sain turned back and hummed as the two walked along, not taking his arm away from Mark's neck.

"Sain, what the hell are you-" Mark began.

Sain made a _Shhhhh_ sound and placed a finger to Mark's lips. "You said you wanted to go and get supplies, right?" Mark nodded. Sain grinned. "Well, I'm just coming along to make sure you get the _correct_ supplies." Mark gulped. This was not going to end well.

* * *

Sitting in a bush with Sain, watching Florina wash her pegasus, Mark could not help but think about the life decisions that led him to this moment. It wasn't that he necessarily regretted them, he just wished this wasn't where his impassioned speech to the knights had gotten him. Still, he had to admit he was blushing like a schoolgirl and smiling like a jester at the situation. Sain casually, and very stealthily, ate an apple in the bush next to Mark. After a few bites, he started tossing it back and forth in his hands.

"Sain-" Mark began but Sain quickly cut him off with a hand gesture. He spun the apple on his finger.

"No time, she's almost done. Alright, huddle up." Sain yanked Mark closer, rustling the bush and causing Florina to jump and look around. Mark was thankful that both he and Sain wore green. Sain continued. "Alright so the thing about timid types like Florina is getting them to trust you. Coming on too hard too fast will get you an empty net."

"We're not fishing Sain." Mark said flatly, and got ignored.

"So, you've already laid the basics of basic groundwork. You've saved her life a few times, she already knows your deep secret, she's probably ready to open up to you. Soooooo," Sain delivered the rest incredibly fast and with hardly any enunciation, "we're gonna ignore rule one which is don't go on to strong and we are immediately going to go to step two which is come on _way_ strong and I've made you a dinner reservation at a restaurant near the castle called the Fool's Table under the name Mark, it's a lovely little bar you'll love it its got great candlelight, good luck." With that, Sain pinched Mark's arm causing him to cry out momentarily and lightly lobbed the apple towards Florina. It thudded at her feet. Mark looked where Sain had just been to see that there was no longer a Sain next to him, and he stood up awkwardly.

Florina blinked. "Did… did you just come from the woods?" She asked. Mark had no idea what to do so he awkwardly nodded.

"Uhm… yes." He said, unconvinced. "I uh… dropped my apple." He said, pointing to it. Florina bent down and picked it up. She held it out to him. He walked up and took it from her, noting that her hand hardly shook at all. Maybe Sain was onto something about her trusting him. He was about to bite into the apple when he remembered Sain had been eating it moments before. "You know on second thought, your pegasus can have it." He held the apple out to the steed and it gratefully bit it in half. Soon the apple was gone.

"Huey says thanks." Florina giggled, stroking her pegasus's mane. Her smile slowly faded. "I… I couldn't convince everyone to accept you as the M-Mage General." She said sadly. Mark recalled her words from two days ago, where she said she'd prove it to the others.

"Hey, don't worry about that. The title comes with it's trouble, no way around that." Mark said, acting like it didn't bother him. "So, I have a dinner reservation at this one bar in town before we head out tonight…" He trailed off. Florina was stroking her pegasus's mane faster and faster, looking down and away from Mark. Her face was completely flushed. "Uh… Florina?"

"Y-y-y-y-yeah?" She stuttered, way worse than usual.

"Well… are you hungry? Want to join me?" Mark asked.

Florina looked like she was going to end up ripping her mount's hair out at the rate she was going. "I-I-I found a nice spot on the hill a-and I have a basket if you'd rather d-do that."

Mark's heart fluttered a little. He had been convinced this was never going to work. "Yeah!" He said beaming. "Yeah, why not let's do it!" He picked up the basket. "Where's the spot?"

Soon they were set up, watching the sun set on the water and eating fruit Florina had purchased in town. While Mark was slightly sad that his romantic dinner was just what Huey wouldn't eat that night, he was still excited by the prospect of making progress with Florina. After all, he only had so much longer to enjoy himself. He kept pushing down the fact he might get executed immediately upon returning to Etruria. He cleared his throat.

"You know you can move a little closer if you want to." Mark said. Despite having no trouble handing him the apple earlier, Florina had deteriorated into a bumbling shivering mess several feet away from him. He awkwardly ate his fruit as Florina struggled to even hold hers. "...Florina?" He said a little louder. Florina jumped and tossed the fruit into the air. It landed next to her on the grass.

"Y-Yeah?" She said.

"... You know, never mind, this is fine." Mark said, chuckling and looking back to the sunset. This would do for now. Together they sat in silence until the sun was almost completely gone.

"E-everyone said you were scary." Florina finally said quietly. "After you ran they told me stories o-of all the things you'd done. A-As Mage G-General I mean." She brushed her hair behind her ear, sighing and pulling her knees to her face. "I didn't know what to say." She said sadly. "Did you… really do those things?"

Mark leaned back on his hands and thought about it. "Probably not." He reasoned. "I ran on the day I was supposed to become Mage General, so I'm not really Mage General yet."

Florina cocked her head to the side. "Well then why do they call you that?"

"Well…" Mark sighed. "You can't really escape something like that just by running."

"But you did, d-didn't you? You're here right now." She countered.

"It's only a temporary escape. Besides, while I haven't done anything bad as Mage General, my father certainly has."

"I-I see." She muttered. "Do you not like your father then?"

"Considering he put a price on my head a few days ago I'm going to assume we feel similarly about each other." Mark said bitterly. Etruria in and of itself scared him much less than his father. "What about you, do you not like your dad either?"

Florina shuffled. "...He's gone." She said quietly.

"...Ah." Mark nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's alright, I was very young. I also have my sisters, so I wasn't lonely or anything."

"Hey, I've got sisters! One older one younger, all of us are mages. What about you?"

Florina giggled. "They're both older than me, and we're all pegasus knights."

Mark nodded sagely. "I should've guessed, Ilian mercenaries are well known across the continent." Mark laughed lightly to himself. He was surprised having sisters became a bonding point yet again. By now the sun had fully set behind the water. Mark stood up with a small grunt and dusted off his coat. "We should head back to town. Thank you Florina."

"F-For what?" She said, standing up as well and gathering her things.

"Dinner and the light conversation." Mark said.

"Well I had to do s-something, you know?" She smiled happily. "You've have saved my life."

"You've paid that off by saving mine too." Mark recalled. They started walking back.

"I guess you're right." She said. "I suppose we're even then."

"I suppose so." Mark confirmed. "But if you want to do this again I…" Mark trailed off. Florina was blushing hard. "...Well." He said, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking into the sky. He smiled, content. "We can just cross that bridge when we get there.

 **A/N Matt: HAH! You fools, you took my word when I said this chapter would have action but I lied to your faces like the evil mastermind I am. Next chapter for sure though. Sorry for another dialogue heavy chapter but I felt like we're moving past Lyn's story a little too fast here. Gotta set up those connections, that suspense ya dig? Next chapter we are ACTUALLY on the road again. Right now the plan is release a MASSIVE final chapter for Lyn's story on the one year anniversary of this story (It's comin up isn't that crazy?) so look forward to that. Will probably have the entire final battle and aftermath. If I keep up this chapter a week theme up until then we should get there with plenty of room for more dialogue heavy chapters like this. Love you guys and as always thanks for reading :D**


	18. One last doubt

Mark woke up on the back of Florina's pegasus, who was grounded for now. Florina quietly walked slightly to the side and in front, guiding them by the reins. Mark blinked the sleep from his eyes a few times and hopped off the horse, taking his position in the middle of the march after giving Florina a quick thank you. Before he had gone to sleep, he had given the small squad a new marching pattern. Now, the formation was similar to that of an arrow. In the front were Kent, Sain, and Florina, as it was before, however, Eliwood now accompanied them on his horse. Eliwood had purposefully not brought his weapons, and instead was acting as a guide so that Kent and Sain could focus more on detecting possible enemies. Mark had been hoping to see what Eliwood could do with a sword, but Eliwood insisted this was the correct move on his part. If Eliwood was carrying his weapons on him, Caelin could possibly see it as a sign of poor faith on Pherae's part. If Lyn won, Eliwood was to vouch for her. If she failed, well… at least he wasn't showing aggression. Mark couldn't help but agree it was important for Eliwood to be unarmed. Riding on the back of Eliwood's horse was Ninian, whose ankle was injured. Mark still wasn't sure why Lyn had even decided to bring the twins along.

Beginning the shaft of the arrow formation was Lyn. Mark thought she should be one or two slots back but she insisted and he couldn't convince her otherwise. In the end, her job was to be on the front lines with the knights. Mark was worried somewhat about the danger this put her in, considering without her this whole quest was a pointless exercise, Directly behind her was Mark. He was originally going to stand all the way in the back, but he wanted to be the closest to when Lyn joined the front lines, in case he needed to protect her in anyway. He wasn't worried about her ability as a fighter, but in the same vein as his discomfort in putting her on the front lines, without her the whole quest was a pointless exercise.

Behind Mark was Erk. Frankly, if Mark wasn't in the back, Erk should have been, but Mark felt much more comfortable having his friend behind him. While he had a general sense of what they would come across, he wasn't confident enough to continue on without someone he trusted watching his back. Behind Erk was Serra. Mark didn't want her this close to danger, but she needed to be as close to everyone as possible in order to have the least amount of time between sighting an injured ally, and their recovery. This way she was close to her escort at least. Behind Serra was Matthew. Mark wanted Matthew in the front, which obviously didn't work out quite as he wished, but putting him any further than he was now would be a criminal misuse of his abilities. Hopefully his speed would still allow him to get behind enemy lines quickly.

The feather of the arrow was made of Wil, Lucius, and Nils. Wil was the last member of the shaft, and Lucius and Nils were behind him on either side. It only made sense for those with ranged or supporting roles that weren't healing to be in the back. Mark bemoaned this fact, considering he stuck their two anima mages near the front. At least he had a sword. Other than that he wasn't worried. He had briefly met with Nils and Lucius, who he knew almost nothing about other than they wanted to help after speaking with Lyn, before he had set up the formation.

" _You're a light mage?" Mark had said, relieved more magic had presented itself to him. "Perfect, I'm going to place you in the very back. Is that all right? You understand what your role is correct?"_

" _Yes, I do." Lucius said with a smile. "Thank you for allowing me to lend my assistance, Mage General."_

 _Mark tried to hide his discomfort. "Yes, no problem. Please don't call me that." He chided himself lightly to remember that everyone knew his secret now. He turned to leave._

" _Hey, I want to help too!" A young voice shouted behind him. Mark turned around to see the child his sister had been chasing._

" _... You're still here? Isn't the Fang hunting you or something?" Mark scratched his head, thinking back to the confrontation at the bar. "Sorry. I obviously had other concerns at the time. Anyway, what can you do? You're just a kid, after all."_

" _I-I know, but I'm not useless!" He insisted. "Really, my music is special. It can help you fight better." The boy waved around an ornate flute. "Pleeeeaaaase?" He begged. Mark looked at Lyn. She shrugged. He looked back at the kid's pouting face._

" _It's not a place for children. Travelling with us is one thing. Fighting is another. I'll ask you_ one _time." Mark squatted down to be on eye level with the boy. "Do you really, honestly think your music will help?" There was no sarcasm in his question._

 _Nils's face turned serious and he nodded. "I have no doubt at all."_

 _Mark stood. "Alright, you'll be in the back too. Use your music as you see fit, I don't know how it works yet. Lucius, please watch over him."_

 _Lucius bowed at the chest. "Of course, Mage General."_

" _Don't call me that."_

" _Of course, my apologies Ma-" He stopped himself. "...Mark. Of course Mark."_

Mark was still sceptical as to the nature of Nils's ability, which he seemed to hold great pride in. He had to admit, part of him was curious. He hadn't heard of any sort of music being able to help in combat. _Other than some drum signals of course_ , he thought, but they hadn't discussed any signals and Nils didn't have a drum, he had a flute. Shrugging it off, Mark contented himself to wait and see. Together the group marched on for a few hours before stopping by a river for a light rest. So far they had passed nine of the marking's Mark had put on his map. So far so good.

Wil sat down next to Mark on the river bank as Mark stared at a map. "Hey Mark." He started. Mark continued to focus on the map. Wil continued. "Almost there, huh?" Mark still wasn't listening. Wil socked him in the arm. Mark jolted, gathering himself.

"Uh... yes?" He said. Wil laughed.

"Ah yeah, see? That's just like you. I think about that small interaction and it just screams _Mark_ you know?" He said.

"...What?" Mark said. "What the hell are you getting at, Wil?"

"Well you know," he said shrugging, "It's just… you're still you, you know?"

"...Yeah… I am…" Mark said confused. "Why uh… wouldn't I be me?"

Wil eyed him without looking at him directly. "Well, come on, you know… Mage General." He said, exhaling slightly in a laugh. Mark remained silent. "No, I mean, Mark, come on." Wil immediately defended himself. "A guy hears one of his friends is actually a bigshot from one of the most powerful countries in the world and he's supposed to just get over that quickly? I mean who knows I thought since we all knew now, maybe you'd act differently." Wil looked down and poked at the ground with an arrow. "And, I mean… I know _I_ wouldn't like that at the very least, right? I mean we've gotten along pretty well this journey right so I just thought I'd check. But, obviously, I shouldn't be worried at all." He leaned back and smiled happily. "Because, you're still Mark. Always will be." Wil ended his small rant there.

The conversation was not exactly surprising to Mark, as he was ready for everyone to come up to him at _some_ point and ask him about it. What was more surprising was Wil's way of going about it. It had obviously been bothering him since he found out, but Mark hadn't noticed at all. Mark stood up.

"You know Wil." He said, smiling. "You've given me an idea." He said. He started walking away.

"Hey, where are you goin?" Wil called to him.

"I might as well ask now right?" He called back. Mark's heart raced. Yes, it was likely everyone was thinking about it, how could they not? Mark was aware the title held its bad gossip. As group tactician, he needed everyone to trust him, and meanwhile he hadn't said anything about his past now that everyone knew. He needed to face it head on. He gulped. _Let's start with you._ He thought.

Lucius was sitting on a rock, saying a prayer. He waved as Mark approached. "Hello Mark, how may I help? You seem distressed."

Mark laughed. "Yeah I guess you could say that." He scratched his head and continued before he could lose his nerve. "Do you um… Have any… questions? About the whole Mage General thing?"

Lucius shrugged. "You are the Mage General. What's wrong with that."

Mark blinked. "You haven't heard about the things the Mage General has done?"

Lucius laughed. "Of course I have, I may be a monk but I don't live on a mountain or something. But I cannot blame Etruria for anything, it only looks out for itself, as St. Elimine told it to do. How can that be wrong?"

Mark considered this. "I see. Thank you." He said. "Can you trust me?"

"Of course." Lucius said. "Please, come see me any time. It is my job to help in these matters."

Mark asked the twins next. "We don't really know anything about the Mage General, sir." Nils said, kicking his legs in a tree. Ninian leaned against the base.

"Y-yes. We've been running for a very long time. The matters of Etruria don't really… well, matter." She said as politely as though she were complimenting him.  
"I suppose you have a point." Mark laughed at himself. "So, can you trust me?"

"Yes." They said in unison.

"I mean, it just means you went to a fancy school just for this sort of thing right? If there's anyone to trust here it's you." Nils added happily.

Next up was Matthew, who laughed loudly. "What?!" He cried incredulously. "You where the Mage General all along? What a twist!" He said sarcastically, shooting Mark a wink.

Mark rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know you already knew, but if I didn't ask you people might find out who you are. Can you trust me?"

Matthew leaned back and remained straight-faced. "I don't know. Can you start trusting me in return?"

Mark sighed. "You know I can't."

Matthew nodded sagely. "I see. Yeah, that's probably for the best on your end. But yeah, I can trust you!" He shot Mark another wink. Mark patted him on the back.

Next was Serra. Serra squealed, "EEEE, I _knew_ you were a noble! You can try to hide it but you have that air about you." She flopped one of her pigtails back. "Just like yours truly, of course. But my, you _are_ abhorrent aren't you? You cheeky little killing machine you!" Serra pinched a surprised Mark's cheek.

"So…" Mark blinked. "I'm sorry I don't get it, do you like me or do you hate me?"

"Neither!" Serra said happily. "On the one hand you are simply the stuff that people like me are _meant_ for. On the other… it's quite a lot to handle, even for someone as glamorous as I am."

"... I don't follow."

"It's obvious darling. You're a noble. I'm a noble. It's simple math. Nobles attract themselves, how else do you think we both found Lyndis, hmm? Same wavelength, all of us."

"Ok… sure, but what do you mean by you're meant for me, but I'm too much?"

"Nobles attract." Serra said seriously.

"You've said as much."

"So nobles marry!" She said, not an ounce of shyness.

Mark blushed. "O-oh. Uh. Gee. B-but I'm too much for you?"

Serra sighed. "Well, I wouldn't say thaaaaaaaat." she pouted. "I just mean you'll have to work for it. It wouldn't be _so_ bad being Mrs. Mage General." She blushed and smiled. "Hehehe… Mrs. Mage General… nice ring to it."

"W-Well anyway!" Mark said loudly, trying to bring her out of whatever image she had in her mind. Serra seemed to know exactly how to throw Mark off guard. "This means you can trust me right?"

"Yes, I can." She said. "Don't be so dismissive, you'll break a ladies heart." She said sadly. Mark had no read on how serious she was about the whole thing.

"I'll uh… keep that in mind I guess."

Mark already knew what Kent, Sain, and Florina thought. Erk obviously knew from the start. Eliwood had no sense of shock, as he only knew Mark as Mage General. The only one left was Lyn. Mark hesitated. He had promised Lyn that he would tell her about stories of the Mage General when he'd given her advice after Dorcas and Rath's passing. Right as he was about to, he got called away by Eliwood. By the time he returned, Lyn was asleep so he had set to work in the library. He hadn't talked to Lyn, or even seen her until they set out.

"Lyn." Mark said quietly, approaching her from behind. "I would like to ask you something." He said.

Lyn turned around. The joyfulness she had in her face when they'd first started out had vanished. She looked exhausted. "Yes Mark?" She said, brightening a little at his presence.

"I've been asking everyone what they thought about it but… what do _you_ think about me being the next Mage General?"

"... A leader doesn't have doubt, you told me." She said. She stared at him with unbreaking eye contact. "...Do you doubt me?"

"Of course I don't Lyn."

"Then why ask?"

"I need to be sure."

"Then, you doubt." She sighed. "I don't know Mark. I tire of all of this. A large part of me wishes we never ran into the knights." Mark's heart sank. A part of him wished that as well, but he also figured it wouldn't be that different than it is now. He'd still be leaving soon.

"I see. That's reasonable." He said sadly, sitting down next to her. "But you don't regret it _all_ right?"

"No, I don't." She said. "As for your question, of course I trust you. I figured I'd made that clear by now." She said sadly.

"You have. I almost didn't bother asking." Mark lied. He was going to ask no matter what, for his own satisfaction.

"Then don't doubt, Mark. Follow your own advice. It wasn't bad. I needed to hear it."

Mark sighed. "I'm beginning to wonder if that's true. Kent was pretty upset about it."

"Well, I appreciate his concern of course but you brought up valid points."

"I guess. But now you seem so sapped of energy, you're practically-"

"LYN, TACKLE MARK TO THE SIDE!" A voice suddenly cried out. Mark didn't have time to register who it was before Lyn sprung up and hurled herself into his side. The both stumbled several feet away.

"Why the hell-" Mark was cut off but a loud tump, as a massive bolt impaled the ground he was just sitting on. "Wha… What the… ballistas…" He stood up and brushed his coat, scanning the horizon. "They have ballistas!" He shouted. "Gather!" He shouted, pulling out his fire tome. "Florina, don't take to the sky until the ballistas are under our control, Kent, ride ahead and try to find the closest one, do not engage. Lucius, send a blinding light at the direction the bolt came from, it may blind them and stop the assault for a while. Whoever just saved my life, come see me now. Ninian, Eliwood, find somewhere to hide until the battle is over. Everyone else, prepare for battle and wait until Kent comes back with more detail. Dismissed!" He shouted. Everyone ran in different directions to their things, hastily putting on the rest of their gear. Kent rode ahead after a curt nod. Mark waited patiently, looking at spells in his book and picking some to use. Someone tugged his coat. "Hmm?" He said not paying attention. He looked down. Nils was staring up at him. "What is it?" He said.

"You said to come see you." Nils said. Mark paused before he remembered what he said.

"That was you? How did you see that bolt?" He asked.

"I didn't see it." Nils tilted his head back in thought. "Well I guess I did, but I saw it in my mind. My sister and I can sense impending dangers, moments before they happen." Mark blinked.

"I'm sorry, what?" He said. This was surprising, and if true, and incredible help.

"Yes, we can. We told Lady Lyn, didn't you know?"

"I had no idea…" Mark said quietly. He closed his eyes in thought. "Alright, we are going to talk about this later. Be safe, stay behind the more hardy people in our group. Thank you again."

Nils smiled wide and stood at attention. "Yes sir!" He said, running off to his sister, who was getting onto Eliwood's horse. _Huh._ Mark thought. _Maybe he really does have his uses._

 **A/N: This is a short one. The reason it's late is because it's really a third of what I thought was going to be one chapter, but with combination of the other parts it's a good ways longer than my normal chapter length and I want any noticeable length differences to be saved for special occasions like the one year anniversary (Comin up!) So, probably within the next four days I'll post the next part of what would have been one chapter. I hope you guys enjoy. In the end this ended up about 3000 words which is just a tad below my average so it should be fine. As always, thank you for your continued support/enjoyment of this story! :D -Matt**


	19. Battle by the river of Caelin-Pherae (1)

A small group of Caelin knights were stationed across the river, gathered around four small stone forts. Two ballistae were set up, one near the forts and one with some other soldiers to the left of Lyndis's Legion. None of the foot soldiers were making an advance, standing at the ready with their weapons in hand as the two ballistae slowly reloaded and fired again and again. It was easy enough to dodge when you knew it was coming, but for now Mark's group was stalled simply by the fact that if they started ignoring the ballistae it would be disastrous. Mark casually kept an eye on them as he waited for Matthew to get around behind the closest one, the one to the left, and take out the archer controlling it. After that, the plan was for Wil to try and learn how to use it and take down the other ballista before the group by the forts was any the wiser. As he observed, he noticed a small village in the distance. He didn't think it was necessarily in range of the battle that was about to unfold, but it was better to be safe.

"Florina?" Mark called out. She ran up to him.

"Yes?"

"Go around the hillside here on foot and tell that village to be prepared in case the battle extends to them. The hill should block the view of the ballista, and I figure as long as you can't take to the sky anyway you're the best choice."

"A-Alright. What do I do after?"

"If we've taken out the ballistae, take to the sky and join the fight. If not, wait at the entrance of the village until we do."

"Got it! Good luck!" She smiled at him and ran to her pegasus. Soon she was guiding it by the reins and jogging into the distance. Mark continued to wait for Matthew to give the signal. Once he did, Mark and the others were to charge the first group to create a distraction so Matthew could take out the ballista un-noticed. He had guessed the ballista would be able to fire off about three shots before he managed, so everyone still had to be careful. Soon, Mark saw the distant figure of Matthew on top of the hill behind the ballista. He flashed his knife. Mark turned around.

"Formation!" Mark shouted, bringing everyone into the formation they were in before. "Ready?" He shouted again. This elicited a cheer from the group. Matthew started running down the hill at top speed. "Forward!" Mark shouted. Kent and Sain spurred their horses and charged in front of the group. Lyn, with her incredible speed, kept behind them at a moderate pace. Mark and Erk ran side by side, throwing fire to either side of the knights so that enemies in front of them couldn't get around them and would be forced to engage. Serra skipped behind them, humming and twirling her staff. Wil ran behind her, firing arrows towards the enemies backline. Lucius ran at Nils's speed just in case, keeping an eye on the sky and staying within four feet of the child, who huffed and puffed from the sprint. Soon, Kent and Sain were darting in and around the front line of the enemies, causing disarray and forcing the middle line to take them on. Anyone from the first line who got past them soon fought briefly with Lyn, and then soon regretted it. Once they were close enough, Erk nodded to Mark and Mark pulled out his sword, set it on fire, and sprinted ahead to Lyn's side. Mark heard a deep thud as a bolt landed next to Serra, who brushed the dirt off her dress and kept skipping like it didn't even happen. First shot.

Mark caught up to Lyn and joined her in her duels. First was a lanceman. The man yelled, charging at Mark and going to a thrust at his neck. Mark lowered his head underneath and tackled the man, quickly pulling out a knife and stabbing the man in the leg. As he started crawling away, a fighter swung his axe in a downward strike, trying to take advantage of Mark's position on the ground, but Mark quickly bought his sword up, braced it with his other arm, and blocked the strike at the handle. Mark grit his teeth and pushed back on one knee. Though the magical fires didn't burn Mark, they certainly burnt the axe. Mark silently willed the flames to burn brighter, causing the axe handle to start to bend around Mark's sword. The fighter quickly pulled his weapon away and jumped back, but the weapon already had a distinct new curve to it. The man quickly swung at Mark again, but failed to take into account the weapons new form and promptly missed. Mark swung deftly, creating a large gash into the man's chest, setting his shirt on fire and causing him to fall to the ground. He quickly looked at the sky and saw an impending bolt. Without time to dodge, Mark held up a hand directly towards the sky and quickly shot it sideways, causing a lightning bolt to travel likewise and smack the giant arrow into the river, where it briefly electrified the water before sizzling out. Two shots.

Lyn was dueling a myrmidon. As much as Mark wanted to view the beautiful swordwork the two speed-based styles portrayed, they didn't have time. Kent and Sain were already a bit ahead, and without anywhere to fall back to they would soon be in trouble. Mark and Lyn needed to keep advancing with them at at least a moderate pace. Mark briefly stuck his sword into the ground and clasped his hands. After saying a few words, he brought his arms back, dislodged his hands, and swept his arms slowly from one side to the other. Soon, a surprised myrmidon was riding a green breeze into the river. Wind magic was definitely Cecilia's forte, but that didn't mean Mark _couldn't_ use it. Picking up his flaming sword again, Mark sprinted to catch up the knights. Lyn caught up to him.

"Thanks!" She said happily and sprinted ahead of Mark. She was leagues faster than him. Mark was glad she wasn't upset that he had cut her duel short. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying the fight. Mark recalled how sullen she had looked just moments ago, and compared it to how she looked now. He shuddered. _In the wrong hands, Lyn could have become a truly terrifying warrior._ He thought. _She's already impressive, to be sure, but perhaps more specialised cultivation into fighting could have truly brought out her potential._ Mark shook his head to focus back onto the battle and shot a simple fireball out to begin his next fight against an armored knight. The knight laughed behind his helmet as the fireball hit his armor. Runes Mark hadn't noticed glowed on his armor and Mark's fireball dispersed against the man's chest.

"Foolish mage!" The man howled. "This armor is enchanted! Such weak spells won't work on me."

Mark continued the charge, but laughed at the irony that was about to ensue. "Oh, it won't?" He said, feigning shock. "Man… what will I even do?" He shouted, setting his arm on fire. The armored knight readied his spear.

"Try your hardest! You'll never-" The man was cut off as Mark's arm glowed brighter, into scorching blue flame. "Y-You'll…" The man took a step back. "How do you-" The man regained his footing and stuck out his spear again. "Doesn't matter! This armor is invincible! Lord Lundgren said so!" Mark sprinted up and grabbed the man's spear, setting the wooden handle on fire.

"Hey, if I were you I'd be careful there." Mark said. "I hear that Lundgren guy is a _massive_ liar." Mark willed the flames along the spear. Soon the man was fully engulfed in flames. The runes on his armor glowed brighter and brighter until eventually the armor shattered to bits. A buff man, unscathed, stumbled out of the wreckage and stood up, readying his fists.

"Alright, sure!" He shouted,visibly trembling. "Who needs enchanted armor? Who needs a weapon? A real man fights with his fists!" Mark was so surprised that the man still wanted to fight he soon found himself with a first in his neck. Mark gagged and fell to the ground, puking and dropping his sword. The man laughed. "You magic types can't handle physical combat. I'm surprised you even have a sword!" The man picked Mark up and threw him back into the dirt. Mark struggled to rise, and in doing so, got kicked in the stomach. "This is what you get for being cocky anyway!" The man shouted, kicking Mark again. Mark was losing his ability to think from the pain. Soon, a clear, lively melody entered his mind. Time seemed to slow down. Mark looked over to see a slow running Nils looking right at him and playing his flute. Mark blinked a few times. He was still in pain, but his thoughts cleared, and body was able to move through the pain. Time unfroze. He rolled out of the way of the man's next strike and stood up.

"Alright, that's enough there." Mark calmly choked out of his pained throat. He quickly ran up to the man and began a quick assault, aiming for the man's gut. The man raised his arms to block, so after a few punched Mark landed a surprise uppercut to the man's face. The man took a step back but brought an arm towards Mark's side. Mark raised an arm and braced it with the other, quickly blocking before kicking the man's knee inward. The man dropped to the ground, and Mark wasted no time grabbing his face and bringing it into his knee. The man fell onto his back, unconscious. Mark panted and coughed up some blood. He looked a ways away. "S-Serra!" He choked out, throat still in immense pain. He wasn't sure how he was even able to move. _Was it Nils's song? How did it even work?_ Serra quickly pointed her staff at him, and soon his injuries were healed. He picked up his sword and turned around to thank Serra. Nils was panting, hands on his knees, as Lucius held a hand to the boys back. Mark looked up, and as he thought, a bolt was heading right to them.

"LUCIUS!" Mark called out, cupping his hands to make it louder. Lucius quickly looked up, and seeing the bolt, raised his hand. Light shined from his hand in a giant, flat circle, which seemed to harden into tangible light. The bolt struck this light shield and bounced harmlessly onto the ground. Lucius lowered his hand, dispersed the shield, and bowed in thanks to Mark. Three shots. Matthew should be attacking the soldier at the ballista now. Mark continued sprinting to try and catch up to the knights. He neared Erk, who was fighting a swordsman.

"Thanks for the help with the guy who was beating the shit out of me Erk!" Mark said sarcastically, realizing Erk must have seen Mark struggling and ran past him.

"Way to get the shit beaten out of you in the first place. I knew you'd be fine." Erk smirked, still focusing on his fight, dodging sword swing after sword swing.

"Such language is unbecoming of a professional Etrurian escort Erk!" Mark said, passing him and faking shock.

"It's unbecoming of a general too!" Erk complained, sending hot flame at his opponents sword arm, causing him to drop it.

"I'm undercover though, so I get a pass! I'm gonna have to tell Serra about this though!" Mark snickered back.

"P-Please don't!" Erk said, clear worry in his voice. "She'll dock my already shi- uh, bad pay!" Mark waved a hand dismissively and focused back in on the fight. They were almost at the ballista, which should already have been taken over by Matthew at this point. Kent and Sain were fighting off several enemies acting as a last bastion before their war machine. Lyn had just caught up to them and was darting in and out of fights, easing the knight's burden. Soon, Mark was there as well, flaming sword in hand. Getting a quick jab into a swordsman who wasn't looking, Mark took on a mounted knight. The knight, rode to and from Mark, getting in a jab before backing off. This limited Mark's movement immensely, and he stood completely still, sword at the ready. As the knight passed again, Mark shot out a small amount of fire at the knight's face. This wasn't enough to hurt the rider, but it did surprise her enough to knock her off her horse. The knight scrambled to her feet and pointed her spear at Mark, lunging at his side. Mark sidestepped and deftly cut the lance at the shaft. Without a weapon, the soldier retreated. Soon Mark realised all the soldiers were retreating across the river, where the rest of their army was set up. Mark panted and walked towards the ballista. Matthew was leaning against the side of the war machine, juggling his knives in his hands and whistling. On the ground next to him was an archer, dead with a slit throat.

"Hey Mark!" Matthew said happily. "Ya made it!"

"Yeah, we all did. No casualties." Mark reported. "Good work here. All we need is Wil to get here."

Matthew nodded. "Yup, seems like you've got it under control. Looks like you don't need me for the rest of the fight."

Mark blinked. "I'm sorry?" He said.

Matthew laughed, put away his knives and patted Mark on the back. "You don't need me for the rest of the battle right? I have some things to do in town. I was supposed to meet with someone back in Pharae, but I got sidetracked from attacking that fort. Sorry you couldn't be there for that by the way."

"Well… who do you have to meet? Will you be brief? We could still use you." Mark complained.

Matthew laughed and held up his hands defensively. "That's a bit too many questions there Mark. Spy stuff. You get the jist." Matthew turned and started walking towards the village Florina warned. "Don't worry about it. I'll be back before we set out again. Besides, I'm sure you've noticed, but these guys aren't that great, they've just got war machines and forts. This shouldn't be a problem for you right Mark? I hear you're some kinda big shot." Matthew said sarcastically.

Mark sighed, defeated. "Whatever, go sell us out I guess. One day I'll figure you out Matthew."

"But that day is not today! Besides, look at you! You're starting to truuuuust meeeeee." Matthew said in a teasing voice that made Mark want to set his cape on fire. "See ya!" He finished, and with that, he broke out into a run. He was possibly even faster than Lyn. Soon Wil was on the scene. He wasted no time examining the ballista and hopping behind the controls.

"Alright!" He said, in awe from his new found power boost. "Watch this…" He said, closing one eye and looking towards the sky. He plotted out the arrows course, adjusting the ballista ever so slightly every few seconds. Mark watched in silent observation. Wil opened his eye and broke out into a grin. He gripped the lever excitedly. "Alright, here we go!" He shouted. "Three! Two! One!" Wil pulled back on the lever and the loaded bolt soared through the sky. Mark observed as it slowly made it's way over the river and pierced the other ballista, snapping it in half and making it unusable. "WOOOOO!" Wil yelled, congratulating himself. "First try!"

"Great job Wil." Mark said, smiling. "Lets get over to the others. We'll take a small break before we tackle the other side of the river." With that, Mark and Wil jogged over to the others.

"Hey Mark! What's the plan?" Sain asked. Kent stood next to him with his arms folded. Mark ran a quick assessment of the group. Lyn had a bruise on her now bare shoulder, her sleeve torn, but other than that she was fine. Wil, Lucius, Nils, and Serra were unscathed. Erk had a small cut along his cheek. Kent had a cut on his leg, but it didn't look deep and he was on horseback anyway. Sain had a few new dents in his armor but overall he was alright. Florina flew in unscathed.

"Alright, we will thin out the formation and storm the bridge in a few minutes." Mark said, observing the enemies across the bank. They were all still, but at the ready. "I don't think they'll charge us. They want to stop us at the bridge where we have less footing and room to maneuver. Everybody drink up and take care of any wounds. We charge in a few minutes." Mark sat on the grass and stared down the enemy, thinking of what to do after crossing the bridge. Lyn and Florina walked up to him.

"Mark?" Lyn asked, while applying some wrappings to her shoulder. "Where is Matthew?"

Mark looked away for a moment before looking back with a fake answer. "I told him to investigate a nearby village. His job is pretty much finished anyway. Don't worry, he isn't hurt or anything."

Lyn nodded. "I see." She said.

Florina tilted her head to the side and looked at Mark confused. "But I-" Mark quickly shot her a glance. She stopped. "Nevermind." She said quietly. Mark thanked St. Elimine she didn't question further.

 **A/N: Part two of three of what was going to be one chapter. Like I said, these should be out within a short distance of each other. It was brought to my attention that Lyn's age could be confusing because I never really stated it, so thank you Ninni51 for that. For the purposes of this story I've bumped up everyones age a bit. Lyn is about Mark's age (22) Though she's a little bit younger. Less than a year though. Everyone else is: Florina (21) Wil (23) Kent (25) Sain (24) Erk (22) Serra (20) Nils (12) Lucius (27) Matthew (22) Dorcas (Died at 34) Rath (Died at 26). I think that's everyone, if I forgot anyone I'll add them later. That should clear things up. Much as I appreciate the protagonists actually being a bit younger, I find that being around this age is more realistic, and makes it easier to approach from a more serious view, which is more what I'm going for. I also updated the description to feature characters that are shown more prominently, and will continue to change it at each point in the story I find it needs to be updated. Also made the description a bit lengthier to get the point across more. Part three of this three part update should release within the next four days as well, just like this one. As always, thank you for your continued reading :D**

 **-Matt**


	20. Battle by the river of Caelin-Pherae (2)

Mark sat at the bank and stared down the enemy, thinking of possible amendments he might need to make to the group's strategy given any situation. He fiddled with his tome in his coat unconsciously, folding pages and picking out spells to use. Florina quietly sat to his right, nervously shifting now and again and gripping her weapon so hard her knuckles were white. After a long silence, Mark felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Yes?" He said without moving.

"It's been about fifteen minutes. We should charge soon don't you think?" Lyn asked him. Mark slowly nodded and stood up. He brushed off his coat. Florina slowly stood up too.

"...Alright. Have everyone get into position." Mark said quietly, still eyeing the enemy trying to get as much information as possible. So far it looked like the normal arrow strategy would work. Just in case, Mark had several back-ups in mind. Mark continued to stare directly at the enemy as he walked into position. This caused him to bump into Lucius.

"O-Oh, my apologies Lord Mark." Lucius said, bowing. "I was in your way."

Mark finally broke his gaze and turned to Lucius. "Nonsense I'm the one that walked into _you_. Also, you can drop the Lord. It's just Mark."

Lucius seemed flustered. "Yes, right, you've said as much. I apologize again." Lucius bowed yet again, and started walking towards his position.

"Hey, wait." Mark called to him. Lucius turned around.

"Yes?" He said calmly.

"It's just… I don't know you seem to be very used to speaking to me from some kind of… servant point of view. Do you work for someone?"

Lucius went slightly pale, but only for a moment. "Oh well, yes actually I suppose I do, but it's a Lycian matter. I don't know why I may be projecting it onto you. I suppose in a sense you remind me-"

"Mark?" Mark heard a voice call out to him and turned to see Kent had interrupted the conversation from the front. "We are ready to charge. Please get into position." Mark turned back to Lucius and smiled.

"Well, don't worry about it. I was only curious. I hope whoever you serve doesn't mind that you are here?"

Lucius paused but shook his head. "He shouldn't really mind at all, no. Good fortune in the coming battle Mage General." Lucius bowed and jogged over to Nils, who was checking his instrument for something.

"... Just Mark." Mark said to himself as he walked over in front of Erk and behind Lyn. "To arms!" He shouted. Everyone readied their weapons. Mark lit his sword on fire and held his tome in his off hand. "Forward!" Mark yelled, eliciting a cheer from the small squadron. The enemy immediately grabbed their weapons and got into a standard defensive formation on the bridge. It started with a line of armored knights, followed by a line of swordsmen. After the bridge was a line of archers, who were firing over the other two lines. Beyond that was an armored knight, a fighter, and a swordsman, who seemed to be the group's leaders. A small squad considering Mark and company had already defeated half of it. Most of the battle would take place on the bridge. The fact that all that was past the bridge were the three leaders worried Mark significantly, but he would deal with it when it was in front of him.

Kent and Sain led the charge yet again. Mark had to hand it to the pair that they may be the best at working together in Lyndis's Legion. As soon as they were within striking distance, Sain threw his lance directly into the shoulder of the knight in the middle. He cried out and dropped his shield, but Kent was immediately there, slashing his neck with his sword and ripping out Sain's lance and tossing it back to him. Sain caught it and deftly stabbed it into the next knights face. All the while, the two knights were moving fast enough on their horses to avoid the slow lance thrusts of the armored knights. With two down and enough space having been made, the two knights galloped through the new opening before it could be closed. Knowing the knights were through, the bulky soldiers turned back to the rest of the legion. They were quickly met with Lyn, whose sacred blade cut through the next one's armor like paper, giving him a sizable gash and causing him to keel over and fall, bleeding onto the wooden bridge.

Erk whistled, "Well." He said simply. "I suppose that's a sacred sword for you. Shame your sword is just iron, huh Mark?" He prodded.

Mark laughed. "At least I can do more than throw the same ball of fire at my enemies Erk. Learn some variety, it'll almost make it seem like you have a personality." Mark countered, smirking. Erk remained silent. "Oh come now Erk, you're better than that, only one insult and-" Mark was cut off by a sudden gust of wind. Mark could hardly fight against it, struggling to even keep his normal ground. He cracked his eyes open enough to see a green hue to the gusts, meaning they were magic. He looked behind. Erk was concentrating, his cape and mid-length hair flapping wildly in the winds, his body suspended above the ground a good foot and a half. The winds seemed to circle around him, bouncing off of him before rejoining the gust pushing against the legion. Florina dropped out of the sky behind him, having to ground herself from the heavy winds. Erk was only staring forward, almost bored. Mark turned back to the bridge to see the armored knights being carried by the gusts into the river. Soon the entire line was gone, and the winds stopped. They had never reached the second line, where Kent Sain and Lyn still fought, unaware of what was happening behind them. Mark panted from exhaustion. Erk jogged past him, giving him a slap on the back, and running to join the others up ahead. Serra skipped next to him like this was all completely normal.

Mark paused for a moment to regain his bearings. "Mark!" He heard Nils cry. "Arrows, very soon!"

"Stay grounded Florina!" Mark quickly shouted in addition. Mark looked and saw the entire archer line drawing longbows. He put his sword out, stuck it into the bridge, and began to chat. _Damn you Erk!_ He thought, _You distracted me!_ The arrows were in the air. _But… you do have good ideas sometimes._ Mark shot his hand from left to right above his head. A powerful gust sent all of the arrows way out of the battlefield. Mark saw the glimpse of an arrow soon after he did this, and watched it hit an enemy archer in the arm. He picked up his sword and kept running.

"Nice one Wil!" Mark yelled. He heard a confirmative 'Of course' behind him and caught up to Kent, who was still fighting the swordsmen, having let the others through to the archers.

"Go through Mark!" Kent said, fighting off three men as two others closed in. Mark briefly paused before running past.

"Lucius, Wil, Florina, help out Kent. Nils, stay back with your song!" Mark called out behind him as he focused on the archers. They were all but taken care of. The group that was here, Erk, Serra, Lyn, and Sain, were waiting for him to show, as instructed. Now they would divide the final three among themselves.

Serra was the first to acknowledge him. "Hi Mark! We're waiting for orders, just like you said! So, as payment for doing what you said, I was thinking you and I-"

"Any wounds?" Mark asked, ignoring the pink-haired schemer. Everyone shook their heads. "Perfect. Lyn, battle the fighter, Sain, battle the swordsman. Erk, we'll take the one in armor. Serra, focus on Sain and Lyn. If anyone else bursts through, tell them to help with whoever has the least back up. Go!" Mark pointed forward, causing Lyn and Sain to split to either side and go directly to their opponents. Mark's brow furrowed as he saw the two men smile menacingly, unsheathing their weapons. Mark was certain that Sain and Lyn were at an advantage at each match up though. He shook his head and looked at Erk. "Ready?" He asked.

Erk nodded and pulled out two tomes, one green, one yellow. He held up his red fire tome. "Are you in a wind mood, or a lightning mood today Mark?"

Mark thought about it for a moment. He sheathed his sword and took the yellow book, briefly flipping through its pages. After doing the same with the green tome, he decided on the yellow one. "This one seems better for the occasion."

Erk nodded and took the green tome. Together they said a quick chat, and the two tomes in each of their possession started floating in front of them. After this they faced each other.

"Connection!" They shouted. They briefly glowed with magic, confirming the spell worked. It was a spell that connected their magic energy to each other. It meant any spell cast would be drawing on both of them, greatly increasing every spells power. However, it also meant that even if only one of them was firing off spells, both of them would be getting tired form the effort. Together they started walking towards the man in armor. As Mark thought might be the case, this man had enchanted armor as well. Erk looked at him. "It's enchanted." He said simply. Mark nodded. "What's the plan?" Erk asked.

"Remember when you helped me in a duel against the Knight General? Both our opponents then had enchanted armor too."

Erk shuddered. "That was a terrifying day of practice. I was not expecting to fight one of the generals of our nation. Well, besides you, obviously." Erk squinted at the foe. "But regardless of the past, do you think it will actually work this time?"

Mark sighed, and together they burst into a sprint, tomes floating alongside them on either side. "That's the hope!" Mark confirmed for Erk, and the two went silent to focus on the fight. The man in armor laughed boisterously.

"COME!" He shouted. "Lord Lundgren has decreed that you cannot cross this point!" He pointed his long lance at the two friends. Mark slowed slightly. The lance seemed a lot thicker than it should be, almost as if it had been designed to duel axe wielding foes. Realization hit Mark.

"Alright, Erk, we need to end this fast." Mark said seriously. "I may or may not have just sent Sain and Lyn into unwinnable fights."

"May or may not have?!" Erk said in worry. "Which is it then?"

"...May have." Mark said, biting his lip. "Whatever, we need to hurry this up. Break!" He shouted, and he and Erk ran towards either side of the man. The man in armor laughed, slapping his lance against his shield, causing the runes to glow, and facing Mark. Immediately, a fireball hit him in the back of the head, soon diffused and dispersing into the air. The man clunked over towards Mark and jabbed at his chest. Mark ducked underneath it, covered his hand in pure electricity and put his open palm against the mans chest. Thousands of volts poured into the armor, but the runes only glowed and sent it away. The knight kicked at Marks legs but he hopped back. He fired a bolt directly at the spear of the knight, sending a small shock into the man's hand. The man cried out and stuck the weapon into the dirt, ending the current. Pulling it back out again, the man started running back and Mark before being swept off his feet by a sharp and well aimed burst of wind. Part of Mark wished he could still use his sword, as this was the perfect opprotunity to get a cut in, but the dual tomes were a more reliable strategy in the end when working with Erk. The two had practiced this many times, only finally being able to work with such teamwork after several years. It would be wrong to throw in things Erk wasn't used to into the strategies.

As the man tried to stand, Mark held both his hands out, sending fire and lightning directly into the knight's face. It wasn't hurting him, but the light from the combined spells was sure to be blinding him. The man held up a hand in an attempt to block it out but to no avail, it merely enveloped his hand as well. Erk used this time to run into position directly behind. Mark let the man rise, stopping his magic and stared him down. _Erk should be in position by now_ Mark assured himself.

Mark began to chant, a magic circle appearing below his feet. It could all end here if they could just pull this off. Mark couldn't see Erk past the man's bulk, but had faith Erk was doing the same thing. This was a spell that could only be used by two mages who were in perfect sync. It took advantage of the fact that the two mages had connected at the start of the fight, and could feel what the other was doing in terms of magic. Mark held a ball of fire, and a bolt of lightning in his hands. Slowly as he chanted, they were becoming more condensed, smaller and smaller until they were packed to the size of coin. The knight was almost upon him. This strategy would be a death sentence if it didn't work, and it hadn't worked when he and Erk used it on the Knight General. Mark was hoping the Knight General simply had better armor. He held both his hands directly towards the knight's heart. He waited until he could no more, and prayed he and Erk would time it correctly.

"Pierce!" He and Erk shouted together, the final word of their incantations. Both of the condensed magic essences in his hand elongated into beams and hit the man directly above his heart, shooting straight through the armor and connecting with Erk's twin beams. Either pierce alone would not have been enough, but the concentrated force on the same spot from both sides was too much for the armor to handle, just as Mark had hoped. The knight looked down slowly, having stopped in his tracks. He slowly fell over, his lance clattering to the Earth, and he stopped moving. Erk and Mark panted from the magical energy they had just unleashed.

They looked at each other. "Disconnect!" They shouted at each other. Again they glowed, confirming the spell ended.

"There's no time… for a rest…" Mark gasped out. "We gotta help the other two. Go help Sain!" Mark pointed and started running towards Lyn's fight. As he thought, she was struggling. She was on one knee, a nasty gash covered her all the way from he left shoulder to her right hip. She had a cut on her head and blood was gushing into her eyes. She tried to stand again, but he opponent just laughed and kicked her in the neck. She fell over onto her side, curling into a ball and vomiting into the river. Her opponent raised his axe, but Mark quickly fired a lightning bolt from the sky into the weapon, using it like a lightning rod and shocking the man. The man stammered back a few feet, his muscles spasming as he tried to regain control. Mark ran up to Lyn and slid onto his knees, reaching into his coat for an elixir only to realise the bottles had broken as some point this fight. He quickly flashed back to his fight on the other side of the bridge, where he too had just been hit in the throat and had thrown up. Remembering the kick to his side, he guess the bottles broke then.

Lyn looked up at him. Her breathing was heavy and slow. 'Mark' she mouthed, unable to make sound. She coughed up blood. Mark smiled at her and stood up. The man was just about over his paralysis. Mark fired another bolt at him, renewing the man's spasms, much to his anger. Mark slowly walked up to the man. "Hey." He said simply. "You seem to be having trouble there." Mark taunted the man. Usually he would do so with a smile, but he felt incredibly guilty at the moment. He gulped, almost feeling bad for what he was about to do.

Almost.

Mark walked up to the still paralyzed man, lit a hand ablaze, and socked the man in the gut, breaking him from his spasms. The man fell over, shirt on fire and spreading. He desperately swung a weak axe swing and Mark, but Mark just held up a hand and melted the metal. Before he did, he shifted his eyes and noted the blade's unique design: curved and thick, almost shield like. Clearly designed to handle a quick sword user. Mark looked back at the man, who was rolling on the ground, putting out the fire. Mark held lightning in his other hand, utilizing Erk's tome, and hit the man again, this time in the forehead. The man cried out as electricity worked its way through his brain, causing him to mumble and lose control of his mouth. Finally, as he slowly tried to crawl away on his stomach, Mark calmly pulled out his sword and stabbed it into the man's back, separating his spine in half. The man stopped moving, breathing heavily. He looked back over his shoulder in fear. Mark continued to stare him down sadly, face unmoving. Mark lifted his now dirtied sword out of the man, causing blood to begin to pool.

"P-Please…" The man had tears in his eyes. "I'm just doing my job-AUAUGHHAHA" The man said as Mark stabbed him in the leg.

"You don't say?" Mark said without expression, squatting down. "What a coincidence." Mark pulled out his sword and stabbed it into the man's shoulder. "So am I." He said. The man on the ground was all but about dead, Mark guessed he had at most five minutes left to live. He was all but unconscious from the pain. Mark stood up and flipped through his twin tomes. "Tell me." He said. "Would you rather die from option one or option two?" Mark looked at the man. Anger had replaced the man's sadness, and having accepted death, he spat blood onto Mark's leg. "... A good choice." Mark said. He slowly brought a hand up to the man's head, sighed, and watched as his hand began to glow. "It's like you said. Just doin my job." Mark watched as fire and lightning shot in tandem from his hand. He really wished he could turn away, but he had been looking away too much recently. Especially for his burn victims, Mark knew he had to watch.

Mark stood up a minute or two later, pulling out his sword, swishing it in the river to clean it lightly, and sheathed it again. He slowly walked to Lyn feeling even more combined guilt from what he thought would make him feel better. Mark slowly knelt down and picked Lyn up, carrying her to Serra. She shifted in his arms, eyes opening. She slowly raised a hand and wiped away a tear Mark didn't even realize he was crying. Once she had, she passed out.

Mark made it to Serra, who was kneeling over Sain. "Se-Serra, please c-can't you- AUGH- do anything toAHGUEH-" Sain cried out in pain. Kent was kneeling by his side, holding his head on his knee and watching in horror. Serra was re-attaching his leg.

"I want to Sain!" Serra said uncharacteristically serious, "But if I dull your nerves now you'll lose feeling in your leg once it's back on! Brace yourself!" Serra grimaced as she held her staff to Sain's knee, where the cut was.

The following sound that came from Sain's mouth burrowed it's way into Mark's ears and caused him to cringe in empathy as the poor man's nerves reconnected themselves. Sain soon passed out from the pain. Erk jogged up to Mark, a fresh new gash on his arm.

"Here, let me help." Erk said, offering his non-cut arm."

"...I got her." Mark said quietly. He walked over and knelt down next to Sain. Kent noticed him and looked over. His expression quickly turned to shock.

"Lady.. Lyndis…" He said, mouth wide. He continued to kneel there for a moment before he breathing began to speed up. Mark gently placed Lyn down in front of Serra, who was briefly recovering from using so much magic to heal Sain.

"She's alive Kent!" Serra said. "Don't worry, I'll fix her up no problem!" She gasped out in between heavy breaths. Mark slowly rose, his head hung low. He started walking away. He heard the clanking of armor as Kent rose behind him. _Here it comes._ Mark thought sadly. _You deserve it._ Mark felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around, only to be quickly met with Kent's fist. _Yup._ Mark thought as he fell to the ground. Kent placed a foot onto his chest.

"Hey!" Erk shouted, running up to them and setting a hand on fire. "Step away from him!" Erk shouted, angrier than usual.

"Let him." Mark said sadly.

"Mark?" Erk questioned, looking down at him.

"Let him." Mark repeated, sighing. "I failed him. I failed Lyn. I failed Sain. I told Kent that I would work to regain trust, and I have almost gotten the two most important people in his life killed."

"Yeah, _almost_." Erk said, not moving. "They're still alive. We got to them in time."

"...You've put them through great pain. As a friend, and as a retainer, this is still a grievous offence." Kent said, taking his foot off. "You _did_ save them, I should be happy they are still alive. I'm sorry. I'm very tense right now." He started walking away. Mark rose up.

"But you're right! I'm the one that put them in that situation in the first place! The blame still falls on me! I've failed as tactician _again_ …" Mark said. Kent stopped.

"And the very fact that you put them in this situation is why I trust you even less now, Mage General." Mark winced as Kent refused to call him by his name, like he had the whole journey. "But still…" He continued to walk away. "There's been enough problems today. I'm not going to go out of my way to make more." Mark watched as Kent slowly got onto his horse and headed towards the village. Why he was going there, Mark wasn't quite sure. Mark heard a whistle and turned to face it.

Matthew was sitting on the railing of the bridge and eating a cookie. "Hey Mark, what did I miss?"

 **A/N: The reason this took so long to get out was because I decided to workshop it a bit. Originally this was going to be a total wipeout victory for Lyndis's Legion but I figure Mark** _ **technically**_ **hasn't gotten very close to losing anyone under his tactics. True, two people are dead (rip Dorcas and Rath) But keep in mind he wasn't even there for that. Luckily, it seems everyone pulled through this time around. As always, thank you guys for reading. There's been a lot of really heartfelt and positive reviews lately and it just puts a big ole smile on my face. As such, sorry if this one's a bit of a downer.**

 **P.S. I forgot to say, I MAY need to post the one year anniversary super chapter (patent pending) a few days late. I may just not be ready in time. Sorry, but we're gettin there eventually! Next chapter should be out soon though, it'll be a bit of a short one since this ones a tad longer than usual. Love you guys! -Matt**


	21. The giant

Mark sat by the fire, applying finishing touches to his painting of Erk and Serra from many nights ago. Erk sat next to him, looking at the painting in discomfort.

"The fact that we fell asleep like that will haunt me for a long time." Erk said in disgust, looking at his painted form asleep on Serra's shoulder. Serra had an arm looped around his and a light smile on her lips as she also slept away. Meanwhile, the real Serra was excitedly looking over Erk, her elbows resting on Erk's shoulders and her hands holding up her face.

"Oh come now Erk, it looks lovely!" She said, giggling as Mark worked. "I didn't know your friend was such a painter! Although, now that I know he's the son of the previous Mage General, I suppose it isn't a surprise. He must have grown up surrounded by paints!"

Mark laughed and cracked a smile. "You're not entirely wrong. I remember many trips with my family to see my father's works on display in various galleries near our home city. I used to play in his art studio when I was around seven." He smudged some of the paint, and took a rag to mix it into the painting. "Once my father's Mage General duties piled up though, he stopped making art. I wasn't heartbroken per sae, but it did affect me to be sure. It made me pick up a paintbrush myself." Mark concluded.

Lucius sat on the opposite side of Mark. "I suppose it isn't a surprise that you are following in your father's footsteps in this regard." Nils was happily sitting on a log next to Lucius, careening his neck to see the painting.

"I've never seen someone paint so well!" Nils said happily. "Art where I'm from is… well different to say the least." Nils laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

"Oh Nils, I've been meaning to ask." Mark said, not taking his eyes off his painting. "How does your music work?"

"How does music work?" Nils said, confused. "It's music. It just works. It inspires us to go further, to stand up and keep fighting right? It's like asking how your paintings work."

"Paintings don't make me ignore a kick to the throat Nils." Mark said flatly. He shifted his eyes to see Nils's reaction, but Nils was looking away, apparently done with the conversation. Mark smiled and laughed lightly to himself. _Seems like there's more to this child than one might initially perceive._ Mark thought, slipping into his accent in his mind. Still, the conversation reminded him of Lyn, who suffered a similar fate of boot-to-the-neck. He leaned back from his just about finished painting and surveyed the camp. Sain was jogging along the perimeter of the camp, simultaneously keep watch and getting used to moving on his reattached leg. Florina was talking to Ninian and Eliwood, looking between the two of them and trying to get a word in, unable to amidst Eliwood trying to break Ninian out of her shell. Matthew was sitting with Wil, teaching him how to throw a knife. Kent stood, his hands behind his back, at the edge of the camp, which was on a hill. He looked down at a massive manor, illuminated in the night. Lyn was sitting on the other side of the fire, bandaged all over and holding a flask of water. She stared at the fire, clearly in deep thought.

Mark plotted his course. Once he settled on a route, he stood up. Erk grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, Mark." He looked at him seriously. "Can I burn this painting? I really makes me angry."

Mark smiled. "Sorry Erk but no. I'm planning on starting a gallery series, this will be the first piece." Mark lied, winking at Serra, and moving towards his first conversation. Florina brightened a little bit when he walked up.

"Busy?" Mark asked her. She shook her head and stood up, walking to his side. They walked around the edge of the camp side by side.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"Well…" Mark scratched his neck. "I feel very guilty about Sain and Lyn. It's entirely my fault. I'm glad they're alive and relatively unharmed in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not sure how to bring the subject up to them. Plus, it also makes me feel like I'm going to get someone killed before this is through." Mark said sadly. He needed to cheer up a little before he confronted his 'victims'. Hence, Florina was the best person to start with. Florina giggled. "What is it?" Mark asked.

Florina jumped a little. "Sorry, sorry, I don't mean to laugh at you, really, it's just… well you still seem to think for some reason that we don't trust you. I-I saw you ask everyone around camp if they trust you. They said they did right?"

"Well mostly." Mark said, eyeing Kent.

"Then they probably still do. It's only been a day. Besides, it's war, none of us are expecting to be unharmed at the end of the day." Florina said, smiling. Mark looked down at her, surprised but not showing it on his face. He agreed, but he never pinned her as one who would say something like that so brazenly. He laughed a little and sighed.

"I suppose you've got a point there." Mark said.

"Good, so stop doubting every little thing." She scorned. Now he was really surprised. He stared at her. She blushed. "Was that too forward? O-oh gosh, that was _way_ too forward wasn't it? I-I'm sorry I didn't mean you disrespect I just think you worry too much sometimes and I care about you almost as much as Lyn so I just want to see you-" She cut herself off in embarrassment and buried her face in her hands. Mark laughed loudly and pulled her into a deep hug.

"See? I knew it was a good idea to come see you first. Thanks Florina. You give me strength." Florina peeked up from her hands on the brink of tears.

"I-I do?" She asked.

"Of course. Don't go to bed yet, by the end of the night I want to present tomorrow's strategy to the group." Mark said. He placed a hand on her shoulder and walked away. Kent didn't even acknowledge him as he walked up. "Does that manor mean something to you Kent?" Mark asked.

Kent didn't look at him. "It is the manor of the Knight Commander of Caelin. He's my mentor and a dear friend. I'm certain he will meet us on the battlefield tomorrow. I am simply preparing myself. He is a very important man to me."

Mark nodded. "I see. What is his name?"

Kent sighed. "Eagler. His dedication to country is unshakable, and it is likely Lundgren has some kind of leverage on him. He is a cornered man."

"And cornered men fight their hardest." Mark finished. Kent nodded.

"Exactly. I lament to say it, but we will need to kill him to press on. You should know, he received a knight's crest when I had just begun my training. He has it's power behind him, and he was already a formidable Paladin beforehand. I figured you should know that taking him down will be no simple task."

"This whole journey is no simple task. If we need to get past him, we'll do it. I will see to it." Mark said. "I wished to speak with you, however."

Kent eyed him. "Because I struck you?"

Mark nodded. "Partly. I know it is my fault Lyn and Sain ended up they way they did. I'm sorry."

Kent was silent. "Is that it?"

Mark bit his lip. "That's all I can say. It was my fault. I am acknowledging my faults and apologizing that it brought our friends harm."

Kent sighed. "I wish I could trust you more Mark. See us to Caelin with Lady Lyndis intact, and I will take back everything. You have my word."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "What about Sain?" He asked.

"He is a knight, not the future ruler of our land. Factually speaking, he is expendable. He knows this. He would be cross with me if I said otherwise. I feel similarly of course. This is war, none of us are expecting to come out unscathed. It just doesn't make it any easier when we must confront it." Kent turned to Mark, facing him frontly. "I thought I was going to lose everything tonight. The future of my country, my best friend, my pride… But, that is in the past, and the world is as it should be. For that I thank you Mark. But the fact does still stand you put Lady Lyndis in harm's way. I insist you put her on the back lines, at the very least."

"I cannot do that Kent. Her prowess on the battlefield is irreplaceable. Besides, she would never let me do it in the first place." Mark said.

Kent looked back towards the manor. "Then please allow me to accompany her at all times. Sain can more than make up for me in other areas you would send me to."

 _That's not true._ Mark thought. "I'll see what I can do. I'll try my best, but you must know that perhaps that won't be the best strategy. I'll do it when I can, but if I must send you elsewhere I ask that you don't complain." Mark said seriously. Frankly put, Kent's combat style of fighting on a horse did not mix at all with Lyn's quick swordplay. While it would be hard for them to coordinate anything, it would be a deadly combo if they could get the hang of it. The problem Mark was facing was that he had never really put them alone together to fight before this, and wasn't confident it would actually work out like Kent was hoping.

Kent sighed and looked back to the manor below. "I know you're right, but I still don't like it. Let me know if you need something else." He finished, ending the conversation.

Mark smiled, happy that Kent wasn't still completely angry at him. Next on the list was Sain. Mark waited by a tree he had seen Sain pass several times on his jog. As Sain bounded to Mark, he raised a hand for a high five. Mark took it and smiled guiltily. "Is your leg working right?" Mark asked.

Sain stopped and panted lightly. "Well it's working… I'm just trying to forget it ever got chopped in the first place you know?"

Mark nodded. "I guess that makes sense. Anyway, I wanted to say-"

"You didn't notice the enemies weapon and you apologize right?" Sain interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. My leg's back on, no ones dead. People make mistakes."

"Well, I guess, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't apologize. I'm the one that put you there. It's proper manners don't you think?" Mark countered.

Sain rolled his eyes. "Right right right, sure, whatever you say man. I'm starting to get why it might be fun to punch you. Listen, I'm fine alright? Focus on Lady Lyndis, she seems hurt for completely different reasons, don't you think?" He said, pointing to Lyn's still unmoving form by the fire. Mark paused before smiling a cocky smile.

"Of course Sain." He said sarcastically. "Like I said, this apology is merely something I'm _supposed_ to do. I didn't want to be caught up here longer than that anyway."

"Oh, my mistake your majesty." Sain said, curtseying with a smug look on his face. "By all means, leave. I have matters to attend to with a certain lass named Florina anyways. I'll see you around." He said. After punching Mark in the arm, Sain continued his run. Mark took a moment to compose himself and headed over to Lyn. He quietly sat down next to her.

"Hello Lyn." Mark said casually, although a tad quiet. "I thought I should check in. How are your injuries?"

Lyn wasted no time snapping to attention once Mark sat down, and her unease slowly faded from her face. "Ah, Mark, just the person I wanted to see!" She said, nudging him. "I have been meaning to tell you I'm sorry that you had to save me. I should've been able to defeat that man, despite his weapon. I've failed you."

"Not as much as I failed you." Mark said definitely. "In fact, if you find yourself in that kind of situation again, I'd appreciate it if you'd just run. For my sake." Mark said, glancing at Kent.

Lyn laughed. "Is Kent still giving you a hard time?"

Mark shrugged. "Of course he is. He has every right to and I don't blame him."

Lyn sighed. "If you insist Mark. I just want you all to get along." She shifted gears. "But hey, wait, what do you mean run away if I'm in that position again? That's cowardly!"

"That's tactically sound." Mark corrected her. "Running away is a completely viable strategy, and in fact opens up a lot of options. They don't chase you? Good, rest up before fighting again. They chase you? Find some allies and surprise them. Those two variations have infinite differences in how they can each turn out. It opens up options, which are essential!" Mark finished his lecture and leaned back.

Lyn leaned back next to him. "Mark I know you're a tactical genius and all, but you can't just ignore the bond of one on one combat. There's a pride to be considered don't you think?"

"Running is not cowardly!" Mark insisted again. "If you must run, then you should. Dying with honor just leaves you… well dead." Mark finished awkwardly. "Honor doesn't matter if you're not alive to uphold your honor."

"I disagree." Lyn said simply. "Maybe you haven't experienced it, but in close fights like that one it's an unspoken rule."

"Close fights?" Mark said, raising an eyebrow.

"...Alright bad example." Lyn said with a hint of sadness, lightly brushing the bandage on her forehead. "Anyway, I'm eager to hear your plan for the manor tomorrow. I'm also very exhausted. Can we rally everyone now?" She asked, yawning.

Mark sat up and patted her on the back. "Of course." Mark stood up and clapped his hands. "Alright everyone, gather around the fire!" He shouted, bringing everyone's attention to him. He pulled out his map of the area, locating their position as everyone drew near. Once everyone was around the fire, Mark cast a simple light spell at the end of his finger and pointed to the map.

"Alright, so!" He began. "He are on top of an unmapped hill right around here… Essentially we have three routes." Mark traced the routes as he described them. "The first option is an immediate dash down this hill in an attempt to take Eagler and his men by surprise. The second option is to descend the hill a little ways away, and charge over this flatland here. Personally, I think this is our best bet. The third decision is to go down the path of the second route, but continue forward instead of cutting towards the mansion. This will take a fair amount of time, but approaching the enemy from behind would be a great boon. Thoughts?" He asked. No one said anything.

"Whatever you think is best Mark!" Wil shouted, eliciting a few less than grandiose cheers from the legion. Mark looked back at the map.

"Well, like I said, I think option two would be our best bet. There's even a village nearby for Eliwood and Ninian to hide at. I must say, it's risky though. I realized something today, as we fought on that bridge. Kent, Sain, Lyn, you're all remarkable fighters but our front line just isn't enforced enough for this sort of plan." Mark nervously looked at Kent, who nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "So, I say again, charging along the flatland _is_ our best bet but… well it's still not great odds. Frankly." Mark said awkwardly. "I would bolster the front line with myself, but I feel I should be playing a sort of middle position, in case anything happens at our backline. Does anyone have any ideas, or would like to volunteer to join the front?" To this no one said anything. Mark grimaced slightly but tried not to show it. No one else was really suited for the front, and could likely be taken down with a few cuts. Mark racked his brain. "Alright, then we should go around behind. First thing in the morning, we'll…" Mark stopped and held up a hand. He looked to his side. A distant clanking, he thought. He shook his head. "A-anyway, I was saying, first thing, we go down in the morning and pass by this mountain here. Hopefully, they won't anticipate an attack from the back, considering we are supposed to be marching _toward_ Caelin, so…" He stopped again and listened. The clanking was getting closer.

"...Alright, great, get some sleep everyone!" Matthew hopped in, clearly hearing the sound as well, and coraling everyone to their sleeping spaces. "Mark's had a long day let's just wrap this up. I'm sure he's got to go and think on it, no need to keep him up!" Matthew continued, quickly making eye contact with Mark and theln looking towards the sound. Mark nodded softly and yawned.

"He's right, I'm tired. I'll go plot out the course and we'll discuss it further in the morning. Get good sleep everyone!" Mark said happily. He shambled towards the sound. After he was out of sight from the camp, he hid behind a tree and waited. Soon, the hulking figure of a man in grey armor, covered in runes, was slowly moving through the pushes. A massive lance was held in one hand, a massive axe in the other, as the giant among men slowly pushed through the foliage. Both of his weapons were tied around his wrists with chains. Mark stepped out. The man slowly turned.

"...Are you one of the members of Lyndis's little crusade?" The man said, not raising his weapons.

"...Yes." Mark said, figuring there was no point in lying. There was a long and haunting pause.

Slowly, a low rumble came from within the armor, Mark lit a hand on fire in preparation. Suddenly, the man dropped his weapons into the earth and took off his helmet. Now that Mark had some light, he saw the glowing power of a Knight's Crest embedded into the man's chestplate. His grey armor was weathered, he was obviously a man of war. The man himself had sharp and dangerous eyes, a bald head, and a nose that was practically the size of Nils's fist. The man laughed, bellowed even, and stuck out a heavy hand. "PERFECT!" The man shouted, making Mark jump from his sheer volume. "The name's WALLACE!" The man said, full of pride. "I'm supposed to kill you guys! How funny is that?" He yelled.

Mark was shocked enough it took his a while to work up the nerve to say something. "Uhm… Not… that funny?" he said, nervous. He _really_ didn't want to fight this man.

"Well it's funny to me!" The man said leaning against a tree and spitting onto the floor. "Lundgren actually thinks I'm willing to pick up the lance again to defend him? HAH!" The man picked up his lance and twirled it like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Jokes on him! He's been such a pompous ass of a rule I figured I'd just help the poor girl along. _ANYONE_ is better than that prick." He said.

Mark blinked, shocked at his fortune. "Well… I was just talking to the others about our front line…"

 **A/N: Sup yall. I'm taking forever to write this. It's not that I don't want to, it's just hard to bring myself to. Will the super mega chapter of one year anniversary goodness (™) be ready by the** _ **actual**_ **one year anniversary? No. Not even close. I know what I'm gonna do but I haven't started writing it out yet. HOWEVER, will it be here at some point this summer? Absolutely. Probably another two chapters, maybe even just one before it comes out. I'm thinking mid-late July. Thanks as always for your continued support and reading, and I hope you guys liked the chapter. :D Pce. -Matt**


	22. Assault of Eagler's manor

Mark, having failed to sleep yet again, sat on the edge of the hill looking at Eagler's mansion. All night, rotating sections of foot soldiers did circular patrols around the manor, switching every hour or so. Mark watched carefully, lightly tapping a research book against his knee as he watched. His brow creased in concentration as he tried to visualize the coming battle going well. What he hadn't told his friends is that the odds of winning this fight were the worst yet. The odds of coming out mostly unscathed were even lower. Mark was taking this moment against the sunrise both to study this foe, and steele his nerves. As the sun began to show its rays on the manor, all of the guards retreated inside. Very shortly thereafter, a full battalion marched out of the manor and spread throughout the surrounding area. Mark quietly continued to tap his book against his leg and sighed. Suddenly, he felt a hand clap down hard on his shoulder and jumped, only to hear the roaring laugh of Wallace.

"A-hahahahahaha!" Wallace bellowed, holding his gut and bending slightly. "You should've seen your face kid! That was a sight!" Wallace continued to laugh to the point of coughing.

"...What do you need, Wallace?" Mark said, slightly bitter at being interrupted. Wallace's introduction to the group the night before had started off poorly when he immediately went up to Lyn, weapons in hand. Kent and Sain jumped in front of him until Wallace shouted at them, reminding them who he was and _daring_ them to think he'd turn traitor. Kent and Sain lowered their heads in shame and walked out of the way, leaving Wallace to march right up to Lyn and grab her by the chin. He had squinted at her, said 'Yup, you really are his granddaughter. You can count on Wallace!', and then promptly found a patch of grass, laid down, and fell asleep in his armor. Mark discussed it with Lyn shortly after, who just rolled her eyes and said 'Well… he could've killed me if he wanted. Let's just trust him.', which Mark still didn't quite think was appropriate. Still, Mark knew more than anyone that Wallace would be essential in the coming fight.

"I saw you staring into the distance all… thinking and such." Wallace waved a hand trivially. "No good. You're about to fight boy, you can't be thinking that hard! You'll be dead by sundown."

"...It's kind've… my job to think hard." Mark said, already tired of the conversation.

" **NONSENSE!** " Wallace shouted, waking up the rest of the camp. "You're supposed to be some hot shot right? Huh?!" Wallace said, sticking a finger into Mark's chest and staring him down. "Well I'm lookin forward to seeing what you can do, so get outta your head and get into the fight. It's dawn we need to get this started!" Wallace said, retracting his hand and grumbling. "Friggin youngster thinking he can win a fight with his head. No wonder they took so long to get here."

"H-Hey!" Mark said, annoyed. "I'm the group tactician it is literally my duty to think for the entire group!"

"Oh yeah?" Wallace said, amused. "Well why are you still thinking, you already ran the plan by everyone right? We're gonna approach them from beyond that hill and hit them from behind!" Wallace said.

"Yes, exactly. I had to _think of that plan_!" Mark said, losing patience and gesturing with his hands every word. "So how can you say I shouldn't think?"

"Oh for the love of…" Wallace mumbled rolling his eyes. "Yes, thank you Mr. tactician sir," He said sarcastically, "...but you already thought of the damn plan! So stop thinkin about it! We know it! You can stop thinking about the plan now that the plan already exists!" Wallace said, as though speaking to a toddler.

"Of course I can't! What if something goes wrong?" Mark said.

"Well it won't because you've got me, kid." Wallace said, pointing to himself. "Trust me here. You just show me what you can do with that fancy fire I hear you've got."

"Hey, guys." Said a tired voice behind Wallace. Wallace moved to the side and looked down and the hunched over form of Matthew, who was rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Much as I can appreciate having a friendly morning chat do you think you could keep it down? There's a full three or four hours until we need to storm the manor. Some of use would like to sleep."

"Sleep?!" Wallace shouted, waking up everyone that had managed to fall back asleep after the first time he shouted. "No time like the present, come on people, we're usurping a kingdom, we ain't got time for leisurely sleeping!" Wallace marched towards the camp, and soon many groans were filling the brisk morning air.

Matthew looked tiredly at Mark. "What?" Mark asked defensively.

"...I can't help but feel like this is your fault somehow." Matthew said through a yawn. "Damn. I could have really used some more sleep time." He stretched his hands above his head.

"My fault?" Mark said incredulously. This was really not his morning. "Besides you're a spy aren't you supposed to function on no sleep?"

Matthew didn't respond to this right away. "You seem hung up on that." He finally said. "The whole, spy thing. Haven't I done enough to prove it by now? I really am on your side."

"That can change without any one of us being the wiser and you know it." Mark said coldly, staring down Matthew. "It's all up to your boss, whoever it is, right?" As he said that, Mark felt a surge of anger from the stress of the coming battle, and how he'd been so rudely interrupted by Wallace. "I'm right, aren't I?" He said bitterly. Matthew looked away, not out of shame or embarrassment, just thinking. "You're just a puppet being used by someone else to make it look like they aren't involved in this whole thing but you know what Matthew?" Mark walked up right to Matthew's face. "I'm not gonna be the one to let you slip through the cracks. Every time you come up to me and say you want me to trust you sends a little bell off in my head that makes me trust you even less. So you know what Matthew? Stop. Asking. Me." Mark didn't realize he was clutching Matthew by the collar of his cloak. Matthew didn't look surprised, but he did look angry, which Mark wasn't used to. It was enough to make Mark drop him.

Matthew quietly straightened out his cloak and cleared his throat. "Well." He said simply. "Very telling Mark. Very telling indeed. Message read and received loud and clear." Matthew shook his head. "Now I almost _wish_ I wasn't on your side. Almost. I'm still here for the long hall because I'm not the backstabbing snake you seem to think I am. If all it takes it a grumpy old man telling you to stop worrying so much to set you off like this, maybe you need a break. Want to sit out the next battle?" He was being sarcastic and Mark knew it, but he let the spy continue anyway. "Maybe after all of this you should just go somewhere to relax, take a load off. This stress isn't good for you. Oh, hey, I hear Etruria is great this time of year, why don't you head there?"

"..."

"No really, hear me out here, it's got excellent cities, great inns and bars, this beautiful light show once a year that-"

"I get it."

"I'm not finished- This beautiful light show. You ever see the light show, Mark? Oh man it's the best. Every time I see it it boggles my mind. Really, Etruria would be great for you." Matthew started walking away before immediately turning around. "Oh, right, forgot, that's a big no no for you. So, _so_ sorry." Matthew laughed but it was clearly hollow. "You're a real piece of work Mark. You have this whole existential crisis about how we all need to trust you, and you can't even find it in yourself to trust me back. Maybe you should take a page out of Lyn's book huh?" Matthew casually walked away after that. Mark bemoaned the fact he just lost it and quietly sat back down. After five minutes of holding his eyes closed and trying to ignore all distractions, Mark stood up towards the camp and shouted.

"Alright everyone, let's march!" He raised a hand and the group gathered and began it's march, hours early.

* * *

While Mark didn't trust Matthew still, he had to admit he had been a bit too hard on the guy this time. It's one thing to have a healthy distrust in him, it's another to treat him like an asshole. Mark compared it to his dilemma with Kent in his mind. Kent's distrust of Mark was how Mark should be treating his situation with Matthew. He would have to apologize later. The group was in position. Wil had stopped midway to climb a tree as a sniping position. Lucius and Erk stopped a little while later to do the same thing, but they were slowly making their way closer. That way when Mark and the rest sprung their trap from behind, Erk and Lucius could get some shots in while the enemy wasn't looking at them. Then they would regroup with the rest. Everyone else was with Mark.

"Hey, hey, Mark!" said a happy Nils, holding up his flute. "Since Lucius isn't here who should I be near?" He asked. Mark thought about it for a moment.

"Once the fighting has begun, find a bush and hide there. No one should really pay attention to you if all you are doing is playing music, so just keep a low profile. If you get into trouble, play me one long note and I'll come running."

Nils nodded and jogged back to the back.

"Alright Mark, everyone is ready." Kent said, riding up to him. "All we need is your word.. Lead us to another victory for Caelin!" Kent said, raising his spear and eliciting a cheer. Kent kept his eyes on Mark for a lingering moment before riding back next to Sain. Mark got the message loud and clear. Another victory for Caelin coming up.

"Everyone, this will be a hard fight." Mark started. As he did, Wallace walked past him and slowly started walking towards the enemy. "Uh… Wallace?" Mark said.

"I told you we know the damn plan! Get out of your gloomy outlook and just fight the foe before you!" With that Wallace raised his weapons and let out a battle cry, cascading down the hill and drawing the enemies attention. This made everyone else cheer and follow, leaving a very tired Mark to watch as everyone ran past him before he could point out any nuances.

"Umm." He heard Florina behind him. He turned around. She chuckled awkwardly and smiled at him. "This was always the plan anyway, right?" She said simply. Mark let out a half smile.

"Well… you're not wrong." He said, watching as the figures grew more distant.

"Well, don't worry then." She said, holding out a hand. Mark raised an eyebrow. The Florina he knew just a week or two ago would never have gone so far.

"Why Florina…" Mark said, breaking into a full smile. "Are you finally getting used to men?"

"S-Somewhat!" She said much too quickly and forcefully. "O-or at least… some men…" She blushed but kept her hand out. "Oh, I'm so embar- wait a second!" She shook her head and focused. "Come on, the fight's starting we need to catch up!" With that, Florina actually lunged forward and grabbed Mark byt the wrist, dragging him to her pegasus and taking off into the sky."

"W-Wait!" Mark said, holding onto his gear to keep it from blowing away in the sudden wind, "This isn't the plan!"

"It is now!" Florina said, diving towards the enemy. Her pegasus really was fast. Together they dove and each stabbed an enemy. Mark resisted the urge to vomit from the sudden rise and fall technique of the pegasus knights.

"Next one I'm jumping down!" Mark said, forgetting about how the fight started, or even the morning went. "If we're going for new plans, I might just be going crazy but…" He laughed a little to himself. "Well I'm pissed off enough that it might work." Mark pointed towards the manor doors where a single rider sat upon his steed. Mark focused in on him, analysing. "Drop me by him!" Florina nodded, and steered her pegasus towards Eagler. _Maybe if I can take Eagler out fast enough, his guards will surrender!_ As they went above, Mark tapped Florina on the back as thanks and let himself drop from the sky. Setting his sword on fire and pointing it towards the rider, Mark also took out a knife and enchanted it with wind in his other hand. The rider pointed his spear at Mark, accepting the challenge. _So much for a surprise,_ Mark thought, although he wasn't shocked the man, who Mark assumed was Eagler, saw him. Eagler clearly knew what he was doing.

Mark stabbed towards Eagler who parried his strike and hit him away with the shaft of his spear. Mark tumbled back in the air, stabbing his knife towards the ground to release a little bit of wind magic in order to turn and land on his feet. Mark held up his sword in a salute and held it at the ready.

"I assume you're a big part of the reason Lyndis has made it this far?" Eagler said, keeping his spear at the ready. "It would be a great blow for you to fall here.

"I agree." Mark said. "So, I don't plan on falling."

Eagler nodded. "Of course you don't. Well! Have at ye!" Eagler spurred his horse towards Mark and readied his spear. Mark quickly went into analysis mode as Eagler quickly approached. From the way he carried himself it was obvious he was confident in his abilities. Considering he was Kent and Sain's teacher, Mark had a general sense of what his fighting style would be like: The best parts of Kent and Sain's technique, with none of the bad. Likely, Eagler's style was that of a jouster, and he would try to keep Mark in one space by continually riding around him and stabbing towards him. _What can you do to prevent that?_ Mark thought to himself. Right as Eagler stabbed at him, Mark shot wind out from his dagger and propelled himself up to Eagler's level, getting a quick stab onto his arm before firing a ball of fire into his chest. Eagler grunted in pain, but grabbed Mark by the shirt with his free hand and threw him against the stone wall of the manor. Mark felt the wind get knocked out of him and he fell to the ground. Ealger wasted no time in charging up to him, and it was all Mark could do to raise his dagger and fire it to the side, propelling him across the grass to safety.

Mark stood up slowly, getting his breath back. He ran at Eagler in a semi-bluff, pretending there was nothing wrong. This time Eagler was still, waiting to see what Mark would do. Mark knew he was expecting him to fly up into his face again, so rather than that, he slid. This surprised even Eagler's horse, who buckled back to avoid being hit by Mark's body. Now that Eagler had lost some control, Mark charged his dagger with lightning and stabbed it into Eagler's leg, momentarily stunning him. Mark wasted no further time getting a stab into Eagler's side. Before he could get it in very far however, the flat side of a spear smacked him in the neck and sent him to the ground.

Mark's eye's rattled in his skull as Eagler quickly bandaged his side and galloped towards Mark. Mark was seeing double, so he closed his eyes and went by sounds to guide a lightning bolt directly into Eagler's horse. The horse neighed loudly, but when Mark opening his eyes, the horses armor was simply charged and trying to dispel the lightning. _Even the horse has enchanted armor._ Mark thought to himself in surprise. _I guess he is captain of the Knights._ Mark rose up and cast a ball of light towards Eagler, blinding him and his horse and immobilizing them as Mark stood up and checked to see if his neck was bleeding. It was bruised, but other than that it seemed fine. Mark held a finger to his face and shot some cold water into it to focus up again. Then he put his sword away. There was only one way to win this fight.

Eagler had recovered from his blindness and was charging at Mark again. Mark held his hand at the ready and set them on fire. As Eagler stabbed towards Mark's gut, Mark grabbed the spear with both hands on the hilt, heating the metal shaft and bending it out of shape. Eagler quickly ripped out the spear from Mark's grasp and tossed it away, pulling out an axe. Mark hada small incision in his stomach, but it was light, he had stopped the spear before it could do too much damage. Now that Eagler had a shorter weapon, Mark put out his hands and pulled out his fire tome. He flipped to the back page and saw the loose piece of paper he had put in there a few months prior. Letting the paper float in front of him, Mark checked the words and chanted them. A magic circle began to form at his feet. Eagler remained still.

"That won't work on this armor, lad." Eagler said, at the ready.

"Oh please Knight Commander." Mark said, continuing the chant in his mind. "You've had other men with enchanted armor before you, surely you know what's happened to them."

Eagler didn't respond, and instead quickly launched himself towards Mark. He held his axe at the ready as he desperately galloped towards Mark, realizing Mark could very well break his armor as the magic circle continued to grow. Mark held out his hand and completed the spell. Unable to check if it worked, Mark held up an arm directly in the path of Eagler's axe. As it was about to hit Mark's arm, the spell activated. Mark opened his eyes. His arms glowed a deep, deep purple which seemed to swallow light around it. Eagler's axe had been cut in two, any part of which that had touched Mark's arm had been vaporized into nothing. Mark gasped and fell to his knees, coughing.

"E-Eagler!" He shouted. "You have lost! Allow us t-to pass!"

"Never!" Eagler said, readying his broken weapon.

"You don't understand!" Mark said. "Leave!"

"I understand perfectly!" Eagler said, holding his ground. "If I must die a soldier's death for honor, country, and family then so be it! I've been prepared for that since the day I became a knight!" Eagler held what was left of his axe towards Mark.

"L-LEAVE!" Mark shouted as he felt himself dash forward at inhuman speed.

"I cannot! I _will_ not!" Eagler cried. Mark grimaced as he completely lost control of his limbs. Running right up into Eagler, Mark watched as he swung his left hand to cut the axe's hilt, and punched his right directly into Eagler's chest, vaporizing his heart and then swinging his arm out of Eagler's side, leaving a gaping hole. Eagler gasped and fell to the ground. He gave his horse a firm smack to send it away. Mark fell to his knees in front of Eagler. The darkness of the spell was sated, and Mark's arms slowly returned to their proper form.

Mark panted as he regained control of his body. "I wouldn't… say I'm sorry… that I've killed you… but for what it's worth I'm sorry… that it was like that." He gasped out as Eagler quickly died in front of him.

Eagler held up a hand and patted Mark on the back of the neck, smiling. "Caelin… will be in good hands… that's all I… ask…" and with that, Eagler's hand dropped from Mark and he passed on. Mark felt a hand on his shoulder. Wallace stood behind him. He whistled.

"Poor Eagler. Probably had hostages against him. Still, he knew the stakes and he died a proud death. Nice work kid. We're finished on our end. It was easy with me around!" Wallace laughed loudly and lifted Mark up. "Come on, rejoice! The day is won! The only fight left is Caelin castle itself!"

At this, Mark snapped back into reality. "R-Really? No more ambushes?" He said through shallow breaths.

Wallace nodded. "I would know, I pretended to work for that snake in the grass. Thinks he can take the country Eagler and I fought for our entire lives from us does he? Well he'll see." Wallace raised an eyebrow. "But hey look at you! Dark magic takes a lot of skill I'm told!" Wallace laughed and rubbed his fist into Mark's hair. "You and I might just get along yet!"

Mark actually chuckled and he struggled to break free. "W-Well I try to avoid using it if I can but Eagler was a fearsome opponent, and it didn't look like he'd be backing down." Mark said awkwardly. _I still told him to run, though…_ Mark mused to himself. _But… I was sure that spell was the only option because he_ wouldn't _run. What made me tell him to leave?_ Mark thought. As it turned out, it didn't matter at the moment because Mark's eyes suddenly rolled back and he passed out from using up all of his magic. As his eyes closed he had one final thought. _Oh yeah… recoil._

 **A/N: I feel like people do more with this battle but to be frank I always pictured chapter 8 (In the game) to be a much more large scale "battle". Sure this is harder in the game, but 8 always felt like it had an army behind it, while nine just felt like Eagler and a handful of his chosen men. As such, I figured I'd kind of hype it up like it was going to be this huge thing by having Mark obsess over it, and then make it… less grand, I guess. To be fair, with Wallace around the fight really is kind've a cakewalk, but how could Mark assume Wallace could fight them all himself. Regardless, I hope it doesn't feel lackluster, as I tried to fill it with important story elements to compensate. I hope you guys enjoyed and as always thanks for reading. Big mega chapter of awesome will be the chapter after next, I believe. And next chapter should be relatively soon! Peace guys! -Matt**


	23. Lyndis's Legion's assault on Caelin

**A/N: Matt- Hello everyone! This is it: THE SUPER AWESOME MEGA CHAPTER. Originally this was going to be the chapter after this one, and be pre-battle, battle, post-battle, but to be honest it is WAY to long for that. Normally, a chapter is let's say 5-7 pages in the google doc I type it in. To put that in perspective, this is 22 pages in said doc. Thus, I'm putting these notes in the beginning instead of the end. There's another reason that that is, but I can't say why here, you'll have to read it yourself. I recommend either several reading sessions for this one, or at least some snacks as you truck along. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this late one year anniversary. Soon, another chapter will come out with the post battle and my general thoughts on both chapters in the author's notes. For now, thank you for reading. It has been a wonderful year, and I'm very excited to tackle the next two/thirds of 7's story. Please enjoy, happy one year (and a month cough cough), and as always, thank you for reading.**

 **P.S.: Frankly this is several times longer than a normal chapter. If you plan to leave a review, please include whether you think it should be split into several chapters instead, after your thoughts on the chapter itself of course. I understand this can be intimidating, considering the other chapters are much smaller. Regardless, Enjoy!**

Mark woke up somewhere on the road to Caelin Castle, as he had practically the entire journey. This time he was on Florina's pegasus, so he couldn't just hop off. Mark blearily rubbed his eyes and sat up, taking his weight off Florina's back. Florina looked back and smiled, saying something that Mark couldn't make out from the wind all around him. He just smiled and waved at her, doing his best to be convincing he wasn't completely exhausted from his spells. He yawned and, unable to pull out a book because of the high winds, instead leaned back and let the air hit him. He smiled. He never thought he would like flying, and any time he tried to do it for long with wind magic he felt sick. He leaned to his side a little and rubbed Huey on the side, thanking him for the experience. Mark and Florina stayed like this for a few hours, travelling behind a galloping Kent and Sain. Together the two had set up a rope to their horses and attacked them to Wallace in full armor, who was dragged along in his armor. Mark's eyebrows shot up at the sight, but Wallace gave a thumbs up ever time Kent or Sain looked around, so supposedly he was fine. Everyone else was packed onto Eliwood, Kent, and Sain's mounts. Erk held a sleeping Serra in his arms and was surfing on wind magic. Mark couldn't help but be amazed at the progress his friend had made in a few months. Mark still felt this unexplainable guilt towards Erk, but he resolved to solve it after the final battle, provided they were both still alive.

Soon enough, Kent and Sain came to a stop, leaving everyone to slow down and gather at the side of a cliff face. Mark and Florina landed and hopped off of Huey. Florina immediately ran around and gave Mark a quick hug before running over to Lyn's side. Lyn laughed as Florina began to speak to her with wild hand gestures. Mark snapped back to the group as a whole when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Wallace stood there, dirt and large dents covering his armor.

"Boy, we've arrived! Are you excited?" He asked happily.

"Wallace, why were you tied to the back of the horses?" Mark asked, examining Wallace's armor and dodging the question of excitement.

Wallace laughed. "I told them to! This armor is indestructible! I may as well be in the most comfortable bed in Lycia even when being dragged by horses! I plan to hammer out the dents and then hit the hay before tomorrow."

Mark had completely given up on understanding this man. "...Sure. But, couldn't you have achieved the same effect on one of the mounts?"

Wallace laughed but it was less booming this time. "Well, I feel like that's too much weight for the poor things, and secondly I'm uh…" He scratched his neck in shame. "I'm not that great with directions. Sometimes even following people I get off track and get lost."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "If that's true how did you find us in the first place?"

Wallace grinned "Complete luck kid. Sometimes all you need is a little luck in order to pull through." With that, Wallace slammed his fist into his chest in a salute and marched over to a tree, pulling out a small hammer from within his armor and taking off his chestplate. Leaning it up against the tree he began to beat the dents out of it. Mark sighed as each pound reverberated in his skull and slowly began to give him a headache, his least favorite thing. Doing his best to ignore it, Mark walked over to Kent.

"Kent, it's only evening. Are we stopping here for a particular reason?" Mark asked, being sure not to include any sort of aggression in his voice. Kent turned to him and then looked towards the cliff.

"This is it. On the other side of this cliff is a steep slope downward, and at the end of that slope we find Castle Caelin. Many days ago, I made a map of this immediate area for you for once we arrived here. Please, take it. Study well, we await your direction. Assume they know we're here." Kent reached into a bag on the side of his horse and pulled out a rolled up scroll, passing it to Mark. Mark took it and unfurled it, giving the area a quick glance. His heart raced. After what felt like a full year, even though it was only a few months, He was finally here. Lyn was finally here. Soon, for better or for worse, this whole thing would be over. Mark took a shaky breath and put the scroll in a pocket of his coat for study later that evening.

"Thank you Kent. It means a lot to me that you trust me with this." Mark said. He could practically feel Matthew's eyes burrowing into him from the back.

Kent actually chuckled. "I've been hard on your Mark, but you've led us to victory twice since you were revealed to us with no casualties. I thought a lot about it on our way to the castle today, watching as you were passed out, having fought General Eagler by yourself. No easy task, I am sure. Yet you did it for us all. While I will always have my eye on you Mark, know that I acknowledge everything you've done for us. I pray your mind can lead us to victory once again."

Mark nodded. "So do I. I'll let you know if I have any questions about this map." With that, Mark walked over to a nearby boulder and sat down, pouring over the scroll on his lap. As far as he could tell, the group was in the northwest corner of the map. The giant mountain range blocked the direct path south to the castle, and as if the mountain itself wasn't enough there was a river dividing it in half. Anyone on foot would have to jump through the ravine. Mark's mind immediately flashed to Erk and Florina, as the only two he thought could make it, maybe carrying others across. However, most likely the group would need to take the bridge just East of them. Looking to his right, Mark saw the small rope bridge. Just past it were a series of trees blocking Mark's view further. Looking back at the map, Mark saw that their entire path South was blocked by a river. Mark wasn't able to hear it due to Wallace's work on his armor, but he assumed the river was truly there. If they headed further East, there was a bridge South leading towards one of Caelin's villages. From that village it was one more bridge West and they would arrive at at Caelin Castle, due South. There were two bridges leading West at that position that the group could take. Mark scratched at his hair thoughtfully. It was incredibly roundabout. They would have to do a full horseshoe movement in order to simply arrive at the castle, not to mention how many soldiers should be placed at the bridges. Mark assumed there would be three squadrons, one at each bridge, which would mean the first one would be stationed in the forests due East. Mark thought about sending everyone over the mountain, one by one utilizing Florina and Erk, but Sain and Kent would be stranded because of their horses. There was no way the horses were going to make it over. Wallace also seemed to heavy for either Huey or Erk to carry over. Briefly being amused about comparing his friend to an animal, Mark continued to ponder. Eventually he raised his head. The sun was setting in the distance and camp was almost set up.

"Kent! Could you come here for a moment?" Mark shouted. Kent looked over at him and jogged over.

"Of course. What do you need?" He asked. Mark pointed to the bridges on the map, and then the one within his sight.

"So, I understand that bridge it really only big enough for one person at a time, but what about these other two? How large are they? As big at the one on the border was?"

Kent shook his head. "No, bridges like that are constructed by the country of Lycia itself, since it connects the borders. Bridges like these, confined within Caelin, are all handmade by its citizens. We usually have no need to several people to be crossing the bridge at once, thus, they are all like the one you see there. Big enough for a carriage to go over, nothing much more. At once. I hope that helps."

Mark nodded in deep thought. "It helps a lot, thank you. Please, return to setting up camp. Try to keep spirits up." Mark said, more grimly than he intended.

Kent grimaced. "Are things looking that dire?" Kent said, worried.

Mark shook his head, backtracking. "No, no, I merely… No, everything is fine. But, this is our last night travelling together. It should be one we all enjoy to the fullest, regardless of tomorrow. No drinking, though, we need everyone as sharp as possible for tomorrow."

Kent bowed slightly. "Of course. We don't have any drinks besides." He sounded almost disappointed as he walked back to where the tents were being set up. Mark looked back down at the map. He stared at the paper at though to look past it, like doing so would reveal some kind of answer to how to approach the castle. Having only one person able to cross the bridges at a time was an incredible hinderance. Assuming there were full platoons waiting on the other side of every bridge, Wallace would need to lead the charge on all of them if they even prayed for a chance. Mark knew Wallace was strong, but he didn't know if he was 'break through three different points without tiring out' strong. Maybe he was, but he was still only human. By the time they got to the castle, where the majority of enemies would likely be stationed, Wallace would be so exhausted that a farmer with a tree branch could likely fell the beast. Also, if Wallace needed to lead every charge it would hinder everyone's progress since he was the slowest of them all in his armor. Near invincible, sure, but still the slowest. Everyone would need to wait for him to position at every bridge. What worried Mark further, as if this all wasn't enough, was how there were two bridges leading towards the castle from the village. If they took one bridge, the enemy could simply take the other and attack them from behind. If they tried to storm both bridges at the same time, their thin numbers of twelve would be stretched even further. Mark continued to stare at the map until he realized it was dark enough that he couldn't even see it anymore. Holding it up, he stood up and walked towards the fire. Sitting on a log near it, he continued to work.

Mark briefly debated sending a small squad to take over the castle by heading over the mountain, but running pairings in his head he realized no one, not even with him and Wallace, was strong enough to take on a castle with only four or five troops. Still, he knew that staying entirely grouped up wouldn't work either. The village scared him the most. It was possible that not only would the enemy storm over both bridges, but they could pour out of the village as well. If that happened Mark and company would be surrounded from the North, the West, and the East, with a river blocking any exit South. As he continued to focus, a small hand rested on his shoulder.

Mark looked up to see Ninian. She looked at him, concern on her face. "Mage General, are you feeling alright?" She asked politely. Mark took a breath, realizing he had hardly been breathing from all the thinking he was doing.

"Y-yes, I am, I'm sorry, are people worried? Is this something important? Because I _really_ need to focus in here if we want to win tomorrow." Mark said.

Ninian calmly sat down next to him without removing her hand. "Mage General…" She began.

"Mark." Mark curtly replied.

Ninian hesitated but nodded. "Yes, Mark. I know you are very stressed. Would it help you if I read into the future for you?" She offered.

Mark shook his head. "Impossible, no one can see the future-" Mark cut himself off as he remembered the twins special ability. He looked at her, thoughtful. "... I thought it was only immediate dangers?" Mark said.

Ninian finally took her hand off his shoulder and gracefully placed it on her lap. "That is correct, but I can usually see further than Nils can. Sometimes, if I really try, I can see into the next day. I have felt so… useless all this time, since I cannot dance for you. Like Nils's music, my dance is special, and could help you all tomorrow." She held back tears. "And… after your friends died just to try and get my ring back…" She raised her hand to show Mark her ring, reflecting the campfire off the rings silver metal. "Well, I've simply felt awful about the whole thing. You even saved us from assassins! So, if I can do anything at all, I want to! May I please try?" Ninian asked. This was more words than Mark had ever heard her say before.

He sighed. "...Might as well. I could use anything. Why now though? Why haven't you tried this sooner?" Mark asked.

Ninian looked down in shame. "It is very pressing on my mind to gaze into the future so. I figured we would be able to get by on Nils's powers alone. However, I am about to depart with Lord Eliwood for a safe location, so it is now or never, as you say." She said.

Mark raised an eyebrow at her phrasing on the last sentence. The way she said it made him feel like 'as you say' was not pointed at him. As far as he knew, he didn't say 'now or never' that often. "..Very well. What do you see Ninian?" Mark folded the map and gave Ninian his full attention. Ninian smiled, closed her eyes, and slowly returned herself to an emotionless face. She slowly lowered her head in concentration, holding her hands together just around her neck. She slowly opened her eyes. She took a shaky breath and looked at Mark.

"Tomorrow, a battle that shall truly go down in human history will take place here. I saw many glimpses of the battle itself, but I could not see all the way to it's conclusion. However…" She took the map from Mark's hand and unfolded it. "I saw several formations of the enemy. There is a large force here, here, and here." She said, pointing to the forest to the East, the village itself, and the castle. "There is a much smaller force here." She said, pointing to the two bridges leading toward the castle. "I saw everyone, alive, entering the forest to the East. However, further on in the battle, I only saw you." Ninian said.

Mark felt a chill go down his spine. "...Are you saying everyone but me is dead by the time we leave that forest?" Mark said seriously.

Ninian shook her head. "That it not necessarily true, Mark. I am looking into _your_ future. It merely means you are fighting by yourself. Whether it is because the others have died, or you find some reason to fight alone, I cannot say. I do not interpret, I only convey what I see."

Mark nodded, a cold hand felt like it was grasped around his throat. "I see. Thank you. Anything else?" Mark said.

Ninian nodded. "Your emotions felt… content. You did not seem overly worried, but you were certainly focused. Also, it shall rain very heavily tomorrow." Ninian said, ending on a rather anticlimactic note. Still, it was important information. It meant that vision would be limited, for both parties.

Mark took all this into his thoughts and held them there for a minute. Eventually, he merely nodded. "Thank you Ninian. This is vital information." Mark said. He stood up and stretched helping Ninian up on her bad ankle. "Come on. I'll walk you to Eliwood." Mark slowly escorted Ninian to Eliwood, who was waiting on his horse. When they arrived, Eliwood helped Ninian up and looked down at Mark.

"You've arrived at the final trial my friend. When I arrive again tomorrow night, I hope with all my heart that it is not Lundgren I am greeted with." Eliwood said, a look of guilt on his face. "I wish that I could help with tomorrows battle but… I cannot. I must put country before my personal desires. Pherae must remain uninvolved until the day is won. I pray to St. Elimine that you understand." Eliwood pleaded.

Mark nodded. "Of course Lord Eliwood. Trust me when I say I understand politics." Mark said, smiling tiredly. "Please do not worry about it any more."

Eliwood nodded, clearly still feeling guilty. Mark liked his straightforward nature. "... I know. Please, be safe. I…" He shook his head. "No need. I can tell you all how sorry I truly am once you've won the day. I wish you the very best of luck." Eliwood could not bring himself to look at Mark anymore and took off back the way the group had come, Ninian clinging lightly to him so as not to fall off. Mark watched them fade into the darkness. Mark sighed and went back to his spot at the campfire.

 _I end up by myself…_ Mark thought, staring at the map. _We enter the forest together… only I come out…_ He continued to think. A large force was in the woods, according to Ninian's predictions. For now, Mark decided to trust these predictions, as the siblings abilities had yet to steer him wrong. Even so, Mark refused to believe everyone died in the woods. His evidence for this was that Mark was apparently emotionally sound when by himself according to Ninian. He thought about it further. Slowly, slowly, he was piecing together a plan. _Maybe… maybe I_ want _to be alone by that point. What if that's the plan I come up with? What if everything is going according to plan when I'm by myself?_ Mark pondered this for a moment as his eyes widened. _Yes… if it's all according to the plan then-_ "Then the plan itself becomes clear!" He suddenly shouted, standing up. Everyone around the fire jumped in surprise.

"Finally he says something exciting!" Wallace said.

"I must say, I agree. I thought he was going to rip that map with how tense he was holding it." Erk retorted. "Good to know it wasn't for nothing."

"Everyone! Gather around! I have a plan!" Mark yelled. Slowly everyone gathered. Once everyone was there, he stabbed the map at the very top to pin it to the closest tree and stood by it with his paints in hand. "I've finally figured it out. It's a long shot, but it's leagues better than anything else I was coming up with." Mark said quickly, unable to contain his excitement. A smile he could only get from a discovery covered his face. He dipped his brush onto his artist pallet, which he lightly sprayed with water magic to get the paint moist again, and painted a straight black line from their position directly East, into the forest. "It works like this." He said, pointing. "This black line represents all of us moving as a unit. Tomorrow morning, we will enter the forest as it rains. Likely, there will be a scout somewhere over the river that will see this and report to everyone. That's good, we want to be seen as a group. The key is the rain itself. Apparently, very heavy rains are supposed to occur tomorrow, meaning our vision will be limited from the sheer downpour. However, so will theirs. If we move together, we'll still be seen in the rain, but how many we are, what we look like, who enters, everything else other than the very fact that it is _us_ will be hidden from the enemy. Because they see us all, they'll expect us to storm this bridge here" he placed a small dot on the second bridge, "and will likely form up accordingly. This, also, is exactly what we want. They'll be expecting everyone, but it won't be everyone. It will hardly be anyone!" Mark talked quickly, finishing quickly so he could put his plan down visually. Mark stood in front of the map, shielding it from everyone. He took a deep breath as his mind and body went into overdrive. He cast a little water magic mixed with wind magic and had a tiny ball of water hover next to him. He dipped his brush in it, removing the paint, and set to work, quickly brushing across the map with several colors, illustrating his grand design for all to see. He stood like this for several minutes, getting everything down to the smallest detail, running time tables in his mind. Finally, he drew a black line to the castle, followed by thinner teal and silver lines leading towards the door of the castle itself. Mark stood back. No one had said a word the whole time as they watched Mark work. "...This… is the plan." Mark said, breathing heavily in excitement and admiring his work.

Slowly everyone walked up to it and examined it. "What the hell does this even mean?" Wallace said, squinting at the paper.

"I like your portrait of Erk and I more, but this painting isn't so bad! Almost surreal I'd say!" Serra said, happily, examining the map.

"It's a plan Serra, not a painting." Erk said impatiently. "Pay attention."

"Mark… you can't be serious…" Kent said, a look of worry on his face.

"...I can work with this." Matthew said, smiling confidently.

"I imagine you're all confused." Mark said, pushing his way to the front over the noise. Once everyone had their attention on him again, he held the back of his brush to the map like a pointer. "Allow me to explain." Bursting out of the forest were twelve lines, each in a different color. Some went over bridges, some over the river, some weaving in and out and back again, some were doubling back over the mountain. Finally, all of the lines converged again into a black line to the East of the castle. Mark smiled happily to finally be truly confident in a plan. "I've seen you all fight many battles. I've experienced your abilities first hand. I _know_ this plan can work. No, I know this plan _WILL_ work! Let's break it down." He pointed first to the silver line. "Wallace! You're the silver line. Your path is the simplest, but it comes with its own problems. First of all, your path will be straight over each bridge. Take the southern bridge when heading West to the castle. The problems that come with it is you'll have limited support in terms of the actual front lines, but you'll need to act as if you have all the backup in the world. Since you'll be in the front and the enemy will be forced to focus on you and those immediately around you, they won't be able to get a good read on how many of us there really are. I'm sure reports have a general idea of each of us, but they have no idea if we have anyone new. Thus, if you act like you don't have a fear in the world fighting them, they'll focus everything on our fake front line."

"Fake?" Wallace said, scowling. "I don't want to be on the fake front lines I want to be on the real front lines!"

"But that's the beauty of it Wallace!" Mark said, grinning. "You _are_ on the real front line! It's just that there isn't _actually_ a back line, but we need to pretend like there is. I'm one hundred percent confident that you will be attacked the most out of any of us throughout tomorrow's fight. All I need from you is to act like you've got a whole army behind you."

Wallace laughed heartily. "Whether I got an army with me isn't an issue! I can take on these younglings by myself if I had to!"

"And you don't even have to! After all, a front line with one man isn't a convincing front line!" Mark pointed back at the two thin stripes accompanying Wallace the entire way, one dark red, one dark green. "Kent, Sain, these lines are you guys. You're going to take on an army right alongside him, as our perceived front line. The rain will keep your mounts from moving too quickly anyway, so you'll be right at Wallace's speed." Mark traced their lines as they stepped closer to look at them.

"Alright! Fighting with General Wallace is practically a holiday!" Sain said excitedly.

Kent cracked a smile. "Yes, I suppose so. But, Mark, I do not see Lyn with us. Which line is she?"

"Glad you asked, because she's up next." Mark said, slapping his brush handle onto the teal line.

"I'm ready for it!" Lyn said, running up to the map.

"I have no doubt in my mind. Lyn, you play closest to the main line without being _in_ the main line. Notice:" Mark traced the line. "You start with the three of them over the first bridge, but at the first moment you can, you break along the riverbank toward the northern bridge leading to the castle. Once there, hide in these trees until the others catch up. Then as they cross the southern bridge, you're going to cross the northern bridge and attack the next unit from the side. Those three will be tired from the first fight and need flanks for any hope of winning the second big fight." Mark knew Ninian didn't point out a force here, but he was certain it had to be there, leaving four main forces: the forest team, guarding the first bridge, the village team guarding the second, a team guarding the two western bridges, and one guarding the castle. He snapped back into the moment and continued his orders. "Then, when you finish up with that, converge into this black line before the castle. For everyone's references, just like in the beginning, this black line represents all of us as a unit. Lyn, Wallace, this is where you guys pick it up again." Mark pointed to their two colors rushing from the black directly into the castle. "While we all charge the castle, you two need to break through at the earliest opportunity and strike down Lundgren. These soldiers are all mercenaries that he's paying. If he falls, they'll likely throw down their weapons because their pay will be gone." Mark said.

Lyn nodded. "...thank you Mark. Thank you for letting me get the opportunity for the final blow on him." Lyn said. Her voice dripped with the most determination Mark had ever seen her muster, and Lyn was easily the most determined person he knew.

"Hey, me too!" Wallace said, grinning. "I've been meaning to stick a few holes into the bastard. Of course, I'll save plenty for you, Marquess." He said, bowing to Lyn.

"I appreciate it Wallace." Lyn said, smiling. "But, be sure you get your fill before you hand him to me."

Wallace smiled evilly. "Ooooh trust me, Marquess. I will."

"Perfect!" Mark said happily. "Moving on from what I like to call Team A, we have Team B." Mark pointed to a group of lines that, after running into the forest, ran back to the campsite and over the mountain. "Florina, Matthew, Lucius, Wil, you're up." The group walked up to the map and stood at attention. "Team B, your assignment is varied, but you start at the same position: travelling over the mountain behind me, getting over the river, and down the other side. You'll need to fly over one at a time on the back of Florina's pegasus, Huey." Mark traced the lines to the base of the mountain, where they diverged into four separate paths. Mark pointed to the purple one. "Florina, let's start with you. Your path is the strangest looking on paper, but it's merely a formality that it's there. You see, you don't have a specific route. What I need from you is to take to the skies. The rain will keep you safe; no archer will be able to look up to take you out of the sky without having to close their eyes from the downpour. Now, once in the sky, I need you to dive in, take out someone in their backline, fly out, repeat. Team A should be at the bridges leading to the castle by the time you guys are over the mountain. Take your time, try to go as unnoticed as possible. Only attack when the Team A has the enemy's attention. Then, while they're fighting, you make their life easier by slowly pining away at their numbers. It doesn't matter if you only take out a handful of them every fight, the mere fact that they'll have one less weapon pointed our way is already good enough. Our difference in numbers will already be vast. Got it?"

Florina tucked her elbows in and clenched her fists. "I've got it!"

Mark nodded. "Perfect. All four of you have a similar theme: Dealing with the back line. Florina is going to be fighting the backline, but the rest of you will be doing something different. Lucius," yellow line, "let's start with you."

"I'm yours to command!" Lucius said.

"You're going to do one thing. As you can see, once you reach the base of the mountain, you are to run in between these trees here in intervals." Mark traced the line. "Now, at each of the little crosses you're going to stop, and fire off a small beacon of light skyward. This should draw the enemies attention, which is perfect. Now, this beacon has two purposes. One, to grab the enemies attention like I said, but also to be a notice to Team A. Team A, when you see this beacon, look away, because a second or two after this beacon of light Lucius I want to to fire the brightest blast of light at the enemy lines. Anyone looking should be blinded for a while."

"Question!" Lyn said, hand raised.

"Of course!" Mark said, matching her focus and enthusiasm, pointing to her.

"How will the enemy see the beacon if it's going to be raining as hard as you say?" Lyn asked.

"Allow me." Lucius said to Mark, bowing. He turned to Lyn. "Lady Lyndis, light magic works differently than other forms of magic. Originally designed by St. Elimine, it started simply as a light in the darkness, a practical spell for exploring in the night. As her power grew, so too, did this light magic, until it has become something not entirely physical anymore. In fact, you could say that all of light magic as a creation is St. Elimine's master level spell! Light magic is a projection both into the real world, and the mind. Where Mark's fire, for example, is a literal fire with a hint of the arcane, light magic can enter into the very minds of those around the caster. Thus, being not altogether physical, the rain should not affect it too drastically." Lucius bowed again and finished his small history lesson.

Lyn nodded in thought. "You used a few phrases there that I don't entirely understand, but you're the caster. I trust your judgement. Proceed Mark!"

"Thank you." Mark said, turning back to the map. "Now, immediately after firing this blast, run to a new location in the woods. Do it again two more times, by then the enemy should be wise to it. Once you feel they've caught on to your blinding strategy, remain in the woods and do what Florina is doing. When the opportunity presents itself, fire magic at the enemy and them disappear from sight. I'll be honest Lucius, you have one of the most dangerous jobs. Do you think you can handle it?" Mark asked.

Lucius nodded and bowed. "I accept this trial with utmost faith I will triumph. I will not fail you!"

Mark nodded, and pointed to the blue trail. "Wil, you're blue."

Wil nodded. "I was looking at that. A very simple line isn't it?"

Mark smiled. "You got it. As you can see, you'll position yourself at the top of the mountain. Now, from here you won't be able to see anyone, so your job isn't to fire at what you can't see, but what you can."

Wil leaned his head to the side before he got it. He slammed his fist into his hand. "...The castle."

Mark nodded. "Correct. Even if you can't make out the figures below in the rain, you should still be able to see at least a bit of the castle. If you can't, head down the mountain until you can. For about an hour, I want you to do nothing but fire arrows at the castle. Notch at least six arrows at a time and don't stop firing."

"They'll think we somehow got over the mountain, and try to go to the base to deal with the forces." Wil mused. "But they'll get to the base and find nothing." Will looked up, eyes wide. "Don't tell me…"

Mark nodded. "My first orders to you will were rain hell. I ask that you do it again. Once the enemy is at the base of the mountain, take out as many as you can. If it's right at the base of the mountain, you _should_ be able to see them from your position. However, wait a while after arriving in your position before you start firing at the castle. You need to give Lucius and Florina time to get into position. After you think they're where they need to be, start firing. If you really want to be safe? Wait until Lucius does his first beacon of light. Then you'll know he's in position and you're safe to fire."

Wil saluted. "You got it boss. One issue."

"Go ahead."

"I don't have that many arrows to fire that long. I bought as many as I could last time we bought supplies, but there's no way I can fire groups of six arrows at a time for a full hour."

"I have an idea, if I may." Erk stepped in.

"Yes Erk?" Mark asked.

"I can make arrows out of lightning now. Would those help?" Erk asked, like what he just said wasn't gold and completely unexpected.

"...You can?!" Mark said incredulously. "How much did you _learn_ in the months I didn't see you?"

"I keep telling you!" Erk insisted. He held out a hand and light gathered in it until an arrow of pure electricity formed in his palm. He grasped it and tossed it at Wil, who fumbled to catch it. "I can make more later. Play around with it."

"I-I will!" Wil said, trying to hide his obvious excitement at the prospect of firing lightning from his bow. He held the arrow in his hand, twisting and turning it.

Mark was dumbfounded but cleared his throat. "Erk's miraculous increase in ability over the past year aside, Wil, that's your job. Blue line. Matthew! Light red line!" Mark pointed to it.

"Yeah I was looking at that." Matthew said. "Looks fun."

"Oh, I assure you my friend." Mark looked at Matthew as he said that. Friend. Mark felt bad for his actions the day before, and the more he thought about it, his suspicion of Matthew at this point was foolish. He would let go and trust him this time. Matthew smiled the most genuine smile Mark had ever seen him give. "Trust me. It's incredibly fun." Mark looked back at the line, flowing down from the mountain base to the East side of the castle, heading right through it, and out the West. Above the section of the line in the castle was a question mark. "Your job Matthew is espionage of the distraction variety. Work your way into the castle, and short of burning it I don't care what you do."

"Al _right_!" Matthew said excitedly.

"W-Wait a minute!" Kent said, beside himself at this point. "He's a known thief! We can't just let him wreck havoc in the castle!"

"It's fine." Lyn said calmly. Kent turned to her.

"My lady?"

"It's alright Kent. The castle itself isn't what we're fighting to take over. Well, on a base level it is, but…" Lyn crossed her arms and looked aside. "But that's not the point. We aren't doing this for a fancy home, we're doing it for the people of Caelin. If Mark thinks we need a distraction in the castle, we'll do it. I only have on problem Mark."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Lyn maintained the determination she'd had throughout the night. "My problem is how you said short of burning the castle down, do anything. I disagree. If you have to burn the castle down, do it."

Mark was quiet, chuckled, smirked, and then looked at Matthew. He shrugged. "Well, you heard her. Go nuts!" Mark said happily.

Matthew had a glint of excitement in his eye. He took out a pouch and cycled through some tools. "Oooooh this is gonna be _great!_ I wonder if…" He slowly continued mumbling to himself.

"And _finally_." Mark said, pointing back to the map. "Team C. Serra, Nils, Erk, and me. Pink, orange, dark purple, and brown. Come take a look." The other three gathered around. "Serra, Nils, you two are essentially always together."

"Mark dear." Serra said flatly. "You said I was pink, right? And Nils here was orange? I have a question."

"Of course, ask away." Mark said.

"Well, we're next to each other, like you say." Serra said, worry creeping into her voice. "But those two lines are directly in the river…"

Mark smiled sympathetically. "Yup."

"N-N-No! Not yup! That is not yup! That is not good! You even have going under the bridges!" Serra said, tracing the lines with her fingers.

"Correct. The idea is, the more time we have to protect the two of you, the less time we have eyes on the enemy. We need to keep our focus on them."

"Then just leave us _out of the fight_ you buffoon!" Serra said, shocked beyond belief.

"Of course I thought of that, but to leave out only healer out of the fight? Not a chance. You're essential, but you cannot be seen. No one will think to check the river. Simply keep your head up, and slowly travel along the bank next to Team A, healing them when you need to."

"It's going to be _pouring!_ We'll drown!" Serra said. Mark shook his head.

"Not with Nils there. Am I right Nils?"

Nils looked shocked. "I don't get it."

Mark squatted down to his level and looked him in the eyes. "You're going to keep Serra alive." Mark stood back up and pointed to the orange line. "Notice, if you both would, that the orange line is _not_ in the river, but on the opposite bank. Now, Nils, you're going to have to go into the woods once Serra reaches the two bridges, so you'll have to get across the river. Are you a good swimmer?"

Nils shuffled. "Well… I-I know I can get across." Nils said, looking away. Mark didn't have time to think about his phrasing.

"Good. Once you're in the woods, remember that Lucius is there if you need help. Now, follow the bank in the woods and play your song for Serra. It should give her the strength to continue forth right?"

"Well yeah, but…"

Serra snapped her fingers. "Aha! I got it! I know why this can't work!" Serra said, manic. "The enemy will hear the song and attack him."

Mark wagged a finger at Serra, surprised she was still trying to get out of this. "Nope. I've had Nils use his song on me. In the moment that Nils is playing his song, no one else can hear it. I'm right, aren't I Nils?"

Nils shifted more and more. "Y-Yeah, that's right. Only the person I'm playing it for can hear."

Serra visibly deflated at this and sighed. "O-Ok. I'll go into the river and heal from there." She said, defeated.

Mark smiled. "Good. Erk, get over here." He pointed to the dark purple line. "We're mirrored." Mark said. Tracing both lines. When one went in towards the enemy, so did the other. When one went away, so did the other. Together, the two lines acted like a pincer, or a twist.

"I see that. You have us going over the river like it's nothing. Serra may have Nils, but what do we have?"

Mark smiled, and pointed a finger into Erks chest, which he quickly batted away. "Not me, my friend, but you. I saw you flying earlier. Here's the plan: tonight you're going to teach me that magic. Tomorrow, I'm going to use it to fly with you. When I go in, you go in. when I leave, you leave. After the first bridge, they might be on to us, so we split and go our separate ways." Mark pointed to the lines, one of which went over the northern bridge, the other over the south, before both went to the black line by the castle. "I have them going over the bridges on the map, but make your own path. At that point, we are like Florina: diving in, taking someone out, flying away. The only difference is, instead of aiming for the back line, we're aiming for the flanks." Mark said.

"Alright, I trust you." Erk said, shrugging. "At least I know that I can work with you."

"How nice." Mark said sarcastically. He clapped to get everyone's attention again. "Alright everyone, let's address the two black lines. As I mentioned, the first one is tomorrow morning. We want the scouts to see us enter the forest as _one_ unit. That way, they won't expect us to break up into smaller groups. The second black line is simple: once the two bridges to the castle have been crossed, we will meet up and charge the castle. This is a distraction for Lyn and Wallace to get through, but if we want _any_ shot of putting up a distraction for them, we need _everyone_ there. So, we meet up, we charge, Wallace and Lyn charge around. The goal is not to defeat the final squadron at the castle. Frankly put, we'll all be completely exhausted by then. The goal is to _survive._ I cannot emphasize that enough. Fight them, but focus on survival instead of pushing through. If we last long enough, Lyn and Wallace will take down Lundgren, and Caelin castle…" Mark slammed his brush against the sketch of the castle on the map and smiled wide, finally taking the pride he always should have in his work. "...Will finally be ours. Any final questions?" Mark asked. Serra raised her hand, but Erk lowered it and Serra hung her head in shame. "...Great. Everyone, the night is still young. I'll keep the map right here if anyone wants to review it. For now, let's all relax and enjoy the time before bed! Disperse!" And with that, Lyndis's Legion went about the campgrounds. Mark walked over to his belongings and began to set up his easel. If this was his last night alive, he was going to paint.

Unsure what exactly to paint, Mark aimlessly stared at the canvas like it would give him some kind of answer to his dilemma. As he did this, Florina came up to him.

"Hey, Mark?" She said nervously, in her usual fearful way. "Erk says he wants to teach you the wind magic now if possible. Serra is forcing him to go to bed soon with her so he also says time is of the essence." Mark looked at her blankly as he continued to come out of his own little world.

"Oh, right, the wind magic. I'll be right there!" Mark set down his brush and started walking towards the fire when an epiphany hit him. He was just full of good ideas that night. "Florina!" I shouted, turning around and pointing at her, making her yelp.

"Wh-What?" She stuttered, taking a step back.

"Stay right there. Don't move. I'll be back soon." With that, Mark turned again and ran towards Erk. Once he was there, Erk smirked at him and folded his arms.

"Dost mine eyes deceive me?" He said, voice permeated with pride. "Does the almighty Mark Reglay need help from a commoner like me?"

"Ooh, full name, scary." Mark said sarcastically. "How about this Erk: teach me the wind magic without further fuss and within the next ten minutes, and I won't tell Serra about how you used to be inseparable from your cotton stuffed rabbit doll when you were a kid."

Erk's eyes narrowed. "Why would she care?" He asked, unconvinced.

"Oh please, she _lives_ for anything to tease you about. So, do I tell her about… what was his name? Mr. Shnuffle?" Mark said.

Erk closed his eyes for a second and looked to the sky. "Why my, St. Elimine? Why me?" He held out a hand. "Fine, let's just get this over with. I'm sure it'll be completely easy for you. The chant is: 'Gales of green, allow me travel through the endless blue.'. Give it a shot, fly around. Don't expose yourself to the enemy though." He said. Mark said the chant and slowly lifted off the ground, a dic of green light forming at his feet.. Shakily he got his bearings and slowly made small circles in the air. Erk sighed while he watched. "...Figures. He says it once and he's off. Took me ten tries before I even lifted off, you know." He stated.

Mark shrugged as he gently flew around, getting the feel for it. "Well, rather than dwell on the fact it took you a little longer, dwell on the fact you can do it now. If you didn't know, I wouldn't know now and we'd be revising the plan. Besides, I used to try and fly with wind magic, so I have experience. Never knew this spell though."

Erk looked to side and scoffed. "Alright, alright, whatever. You've got the wind magic down so I'm going to go. Serra gets upset when I'm not there every second of every day." He said sadly. As he left, Mark called to him.

"Hey, Erk." He said, hopping off the green disc and dispelling it with a wave of his hand. He jogged over to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "...I want you to know how thankful I am for your existence." Mark said.

Erk looked confused. "Are you alright there, Mark?" He said.

Mark shook his head. "No, really, the fact that your here now, fighting with me… well I personally think it's the reason I'm still even alive and fighting. I think I would have given up back when Ursula exposed me if it hadn't been for you so… Thank you. Which is why…" Mark looked around and leaned in for a whisper. "Erk, I'm dead serious. If you are in any sort of danger, run. Please." Mark said. He leaned back out. The incident with Lyn had made him nervous.

Erk looked at him, face unmoving. "...Only if you promise to do the same." He said simply. With that, he brushed Mark's hand off and walked towards his tent. Mark smiled lightly and started back toward Florina. Taking it as an opportunity to practice his flying a little more, Mark fly behind Florina nd tapped her on the shoulder. Florina turned around and jumped at the fact Mark now towered above her.

"Eep!" She yelped, reaching for a lance that wasn't there. Slowly she calmed herself. "Oh, Mark. I-I see the wind magic is working."

"Like a charm!" Mark said happily. He jumped to the ground and laughed. "Maybe now I can take _you_ flying instead." He said.

Florina blushed. "Maybe. Why did you want me to stay?" She said, yawning. "I'm very tired."

Mark nodded. "Of course, this will only take a little while. I just want to paint you." He said, running back to his canvas, picking up his brush, and looking past the easel at a confused Florina. "Go ahead, just sit on a log or something." Florina blushed harder and stepped back defensively.

"Th-thats… I mean, I…" she stammered, sitting down on a log and brushing her hair behind her ear. "W-What do I even do?" She asked. Mark was already mixed paints to form the proper purple hue.

"Just what you're doing." Mark said as he brushed out a rough sketch. "In my opinion, anyone who changes who they are for the sake of a portrait misses the point of said portrait. Just do whatever comes naturally." Mark said. With this, Florina huddled into herself and blushed into her hands.

"Why are you doing this Mark? We have a big fight tomorrow." She said, taking her hands from her face and yawning. Mark paused for a moment before continuing his work.

"...Well it's more for my benefit than yours. I uh… I have a vacant space in my studio at home in Etruria and I figure since I'm going back…" He swallowed. "I might as well… well, fill it with something. Might as well be you right?" He said. Florina didn't say anything. "...Florina?" Mark said, looking past his easel. Florina was falling asleep against the cliff side. She wasn't quite there yet, but she would be soon. Mark smiled and didn't try to bring her out of it. Instead he spent the rest of his night at the canvas, locking this moment into his memory forever.

* * *

The first time Mark woke up, it was because of rain hitting his face. It wasn't very heavy yet, but Mark quickly woke up and scrambled to his painting and threw his coat over it. Looking around briefly, Mark saw that Kent had set up a shelter for everyone's supplies. Mark quickly rushed over and placed the painting into the dry area, taking his coat back. Stepping back for a moment to admire the work, Mark smiled and put his hood up, walking back to where he was resting and fell asleep again.

When he woke up the second time, it was because the rain suddenly turned fierce. Mark blinked his eyes open under his hood and slowly raised it. He could hardly make out the edge of the camp, but he saw that everyone was already awake and getting used to the rain. Good. Mark rose and stretched, moving over to the supplies and retrieving his sword. Once it was fastened to his waste, Mark tried to set his hand on fire, only to have it immediately snuffed out by the oppressive downpour. Mark sighed and walked over to the rest of the group.

"Ok everyone, it's about time." Mark said seriously. His happiness and excitement of his cleverness from the night before had worn off. Now he needed to be ready for things to go awry. "Does anyone need to review their end of the plan?" He asked. No one said anything. Mark nodded. "Very good. If you did not already know, we are leaving out belongs here so as not to encumber ourselves. Please only take the essentials." Mark said, gesturing to the shelter Kent had made. Everyone went over and examined their things, making sure they had what they needed and nothing else. Once they were back, Mark cleared his throat. "Before we head over that bridge and fight for our very lives…" Mark stopped himself. He was preparing a speech in his mind but he just couldn't. "...Well, before that, I think we should hear was Lyn has to say." Mark said, gesturing to her. Lyn nodded and walked to the center of the the camp. Everyone followed. She stood on a log and unsheathed her sword, looking at it.

"...I was told when I received this blade, that it chose me. I didn't know why. It still feels surreal. But I had faith in the blade, and accepted it. I was told when I was found again, that I was Marquess of Caelin. I didn't know why, or how, and again, it still feels surreal. But, like my blade, I had faith in the knights who found me. As we journeyed and I met all of you, I still do not have answers as to why the Mani Katti chose me. I don't have answers about my ability to lead a land of people. But even if I cannot have faith in myself, I know what I _do_ have faith in, and that's all of you. You all mean the world to me, and I thank you for bringing me this far. Now that the final battle is at hand, I ask for your strength once more. Regardless of the outcome, know that you are all my dearest friends, and you have already given me more than I can ever repay you for. So friends, we fight!" Lyn raised her weapon. Mark raised his sword in suit. The rest of the legion joined in, lofting their weapons high. "...For Caelin!" Lyn shouted.

"For Caelin!" Lyndis's Legion shouted back. Together, they got into formation, and marched toward the forest. Crossing the bridge, they heard a horn to the South. They had been spotted. So far, so good. As soon as they were in the forest, they were assaulted from all sides. Everyone, however, was ready for it. Mark tossed out bolts of lightning, sending knights to their knees in paralysis. The rain continued to beat at his head, causing him to blink often, but Mark held his sword at the ready and continued to charge forward regardless. Through the density of the trees and the downpour, Mark couldn't quite tell how many soldiers were stationed in the woods. Furthermore, they seemed immensely spread out, in every direction. It would take a while to clear the woods. The fights flew by, one by one, as Mark came across them. Since the enemy was so spread out, the fights became a series of one on one battles, which Mark had no trouble dealing with, regardless of his flames. Finally, the group converged at the other end of the forest, on the edge of the trees. One final soldier stood at the ready.

"Lyndis!" The voice said. Slowly, the swordsman came forward. "Come forward! I will stop your little adventure right here an-" The man never got to finish his sentence, as a giant spear entered his chest. Mark looked to the right to see Wallace in a position indicating he had just thrown it. Wallace pulled on the chain around his arm, bringing his spear back and leaving a gaping hole in the enemy's chest. Wallace didn't even say anything, just looked at Mark for the go signal. Mark leaned against a tree. Nothing eventful happened in the forest, everyone was uninjured. This was to be expected. Mark figured Lundgren would put the weakest of his forces here, likely to give them the advantage of the trees to make up for their shortcomings. More than anything, it was just to tire the group out. Everyone awaited the signal from Mark.

"...Everyone, this is the last chance. Does anyone have any questions?" Mark asked earnestly. No one even moved, but most were out of breath and breathing heavily. Mark nodded and let out a deep breath He didn't realize he was holding. His heart pounded in his chest. He was going to assault a castle with only eleven other people. Eleven people that he couldn't afford to lose. Mark quietly looked at his feet. "...Be as safe as you can everyone. Make your own judgement if you think the plan isn't going well. Follow it up until you think it will kill you. Survival is more important than the castle." Silence. Mark knew not everyone felt that way. After all, the whole point of the journey was to take this very castle back.

"...I agree with him." Lyn said, stepping in front to face everyone. "Please everyone. It's more important than the castle to me." She said. Again, silence. The only sound was that of rain, slamming against the leaves above them, dripping down onto the soaked ground.

"On my signal, Wallace is going to run out with Kent, Lyn, and Sain, making as much noise as possible. At the same time, Florina, Wil, Matthew, Lucius, you make your way back to the camp and over the cliff. With the noise we're making, no one should even notice you. After that, Serra and Nils, you dash for the river. Wait about two minutes after the first eight of us leave. We don't want you being seen either. Erk, you and I wait a full five minutes. That way, they might think we died in the woods or the like, and won't be expecting us at all." Mark turned to Wallace's group. "Will you be able to hold your own that long until Erk and I can help alleviate?" Mark asked. The four nodded. Mark turned the the backliners. "Do you have faith in your ability to accomplish your jobs?" Mark asked them. The four nodded. Mark looked at Nils and Serra. "Do you think you can stay hidden, at all costs, while still doing your jobs." Mark asked. The pair looked at each other and slowly nodded. Mark smiled happily. "Alright everyone. H-Here we go…!" He said, holding up a hand. Lyn, Kent, Sain, Florina, Wil, Matthew, Lucius, and Wallace all prepared to spur themselves forward. Nils readied his flute. "...Good luck." Mark said. He quickly brought his hand down, as if to start a race. Immediately, Wallace and Lyn let out a battle cry and burst out of woods towards the first bridge. The backliners, Team B, quickly started darting through the woods again, making their way back, Florina being careful not to fly above the trees. Nils played his flute for them all, spurring them onward. Serra nervously fidgeted with her staff. She turned to Erk.

"E-Erk?" She asked, shaking from both fear and the rain. "I-I need to run in a minute or two here and… well…" She placed a hand on her chest and tried to stay her quick breathing. "I just… I mean to say that…"

"...What is it?" Erk said, bending down slightly to look her in the eyes. It was the first time Mark had seen Erk look at Serra without any sort of malice. "You can tell me. I'm you're escort." Erk said.

"I kn-know that." She said. Mark was unable to tell if she was crying from the constant dripping on her face. "And you said you'd never _ever_ let me die right?" She said.

"...Of course not." Erk said, brushing away a piece of her hair. "And I intend to uphold what I said. I will never, ever let you die Serra."

Nils tugged at Serra's dress. "Serra, w-we need to leave." He said. He was shaking too.

Serra looked down at him and nodded. "Right. Right." She said, a long pause in between. She looked at Erk one last time. "I'm scared Erk…" She managed to squeak out. Erk Brought in a deep breath and quickly ran up to her, pulling her into a deep hug. Mark saw incredible concern on his friend's eyes.

"I know Serra. I promise you, Mark knows what he's doing, and I'll keep a careful I out for you. I swear it. Our friends need you thought Serra. You must repay them with your magic." Erk said. Mark watched all of this unfold unflinchingly. Then, Nils grabbed Serra by the hand and tugged at her. She dislodged herself from Erk, giving him a brave, but frightened smile, before the pair ran into the distance. Three minutes until Mark and Erk would need to burst from the trees.

Mark looked down, feeling nothing but shame. He should have just said it was impossible to take a castle with twelve people. As he looked down, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Erk looked at him pained.

"Don't make me give _you_ a hug too." Erk said simply. Mark laughed, wiping away a couple of tears.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Mark said sadly. "Besides, with how stressed out I am right now, it's possible if you made any sudden movement at me you'd end up fried from some lightning." He quipped.

Erk laughed. "It wouldn't surprise me. Taking a page out of Ursula's book today, huh?" He said.

Mark nodded. "Well, my normal area of expertise is useless right now." He said, tapping his hands on the tree trunk behind him. "Can't do a thing about that though. At least I know a few basic thunder spells." He said. Erk sighed and placed his other hand on Mark's other shoulder.

"Listen Mark." He said, forcing Mark to look at him. "I understand your stress, but it's out of your hands now. You've made it possible for twelve people to take over a castle. Feeling any guilt now is pointless. Focus purely on your portion of the battle." Erk floated off the ground, letting go of Mark. The familiar green wind magic flowed beneath him. He held a hand down and smiled. "Come on. It's time for us to do what we do best." Mark smiled thinly. He took Erks hand and allowed himself to be hoisted up. Casting the wind magic under his own feet, he briefly gained his balance and looked at Erk.

"Through the trees or over them?" Mark asked

Erk cracked his neck. "I was thinking that we should go through." He said. Together they faced the edge of the woods, South.

"...You count down. I can't do it." Mark laughed nervously.

Erk eyed him but nodded.

"Three."

 _What was I thinking?_ Mark thought.

"Two."

 _I'm going to die here today._

"One."

 _...But I can do my best until then._

"Go!" Mark and Erk quickly surfed through the trees, water bashing into their eyes, forcing them to squint Mark discharged a light spark in his hand to signal splitting up. Erk turned right, Mark turned left, and soon they emerged on either side of the southern half of the forest. Mark quickly surveyed. Serra was under the first bridge with Nils, desperately holding her staff onto the bridge from below. On the bridge was Wallace, fighting three men with his axe. Sain was dashing behind him, throwing Wallace's chained spear at the enemy mages to keep them from firing at Wallace. Kent and Lyn waited for their chance to burst through. Mark turned to the mountain, but couldn't make anything out through the rain. Dashing into the air and to the left of the bridge, Mark quickly swooped in and kicked one of the frontliners fighting Wallace into the river. As he did this, he held out a hand and discharged as much lightning as possible from it into the enemy ranks. This caused many of them to panic and stumble backward, knocking over several. Mark quickly shot back into the sky and out of sight. The rise in altitude briefly cause him to be short of breath, but he quickly lower himself once he figured the soldiers weren't looking their way anymore. Mark got back into sight range to see that Serra was slowly going along the river with Nils, since the four members of the front line had each passed the first bridge. They fought in a tight circle, backs to each other as they were engulfed by hundreds of mercenaries. Mark watched as Erk quickly barreled through the ranks that Sain was dealing with, lifting several people up with wind magic before dropping them from near fatal heights. Mark quickly swooped in to Kent on the other side and stole Erk's idea, making Kent's load easier.

Mark rose again, into the clouds. Feeling even more light headed from the constant upkeep of his magic, He nearly passed out, but the icy water brought him back. He quickly dived down again to see only a handful of soldiers left at the first bridge. It was looking like a victory for the first battle, but considering how tired he was now, he was getting increasingly worried about the rest of the battle. Mark decided to stay in the air and observe for a little while. Mark saw smoke from the direction of the castle, but closer than that, he saw the army across the second set of bridges was already in disarray. Mark grimaced. He misjudged how quickly his friends would get across the mountain, and the frontal attack group was still fighting at the first bridge. Mark's eyes set on the village. It appeared all soldiers from the village had already come out to help with the first bridge, which made life a bit easier for Mark. Suddenly, a quick burst of light caught Mark's attention. He turned to the second army, where the light came from, only to realize to late. Suddenly, light shot out like the sun originating in all directions. Mark didn't realize his mistake in time and instantly regretted it. As light blinded him, he held his hand to his eyes in pain and felt himself falling out of the sky. He tried to open his eyes to see where he was falling, but was still blinded. Mark screamed as he fell, certain he was doomed. Soon, he felt the cold splash of the deep river. The air knocked out of him, and body racked with pain from the impact, Mark counted his blessings that he was even still alive. He quickly tried to swim to what he could only assume was up. Soon, he felt himself break water, and the sound of the rain was all around him again. He quickly breathed, taking in some water in his haste. He sputtered and tried to swim, but he was too weak. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and a warm feeling spread through his insides, warming him despite the cold river's frigid grip. Slowly, his eyes returned to normal. He looked behind him to see Serra, giving him a quick smile before becoming serious again and, taking a breath, diving underwater. Before Mark could even process, he briefly heard a soft flute in his head, before it vanished again. Still, Mark now felt ready to go. Dashing out of the water and back into the air, feeling refreshed, Mark tried to pinpoint Nils. Unable to see him, Mark simply decided that was probably a good thing anyways, and surveyed the land.

The first group had made it to the second bridge, and were quickly making their way through. That being said, they could be better. Kent was no longer on horseback, and Mark couldn't see the steed anywhere. Wallace had lost his helmet and one of his arm guards. Before he could see more, he saw someone dive in and take out a few soldiers before taking to the sky again. Unable to tell if it was Erk or Florina, Mark quickly shook his head and reminded himself that that was _his_ job too. Quickly dashing to the enemy, Mark prepped a large spell. As he tackled one of the soldiers down, Mark unleashed another arc of lightning from his hand. It charged the rain around him, jumping from person to person, coating their metal weapons and armor. Mark grabbed one more person to the sky with him, dropping them into the river once he was high enough. Mark panted heavily. Another spell like that, and all the Nils songs in the world wouldn't wake him up for a long while. Placing a rule in his mind to only use lower level spells for the remainder of the battle, Mark quickly dashed in again, passed electricity onto one more person, and rose up again. Slowly, his eyes closed, and he felt himself falling again. Mark stumbled through the air and panicked, casting wind magic to his side and hurtling himself into the mud. As he stood up, between the first and second bridges, he saw another brief flash of light. This time, he turned away when the sun came out. Turning back, Mark saw the remains of the second army scattering into every direction. Mark's heart thudded heavy in his chest. If the enemy spread out, it was likely someone from the backliners would be found. Shaking his head to focus up again, Mark forced himself into magic exhaustion by casting his flying spell again.

The first group was making their way to the castle. Mark could see they were hunched and barely able to walk. The battle was proceeding quickly, which was beneficial to Mark's group. The long it took, the more they were likely to lose. It was a blitz in the purest sense. Mark flew to the woods Lucius was supposed to be hiding in, briefly hovering over it. Several of Lundgren's hired hands were combing the trees. Mark, hoping his friend was ok, quickly flew back towards the castle. Mark could see smoke rising from the castle now, as well as a whole platoon of soldiers with arrows sticking out of them behind the castle, most crackling with light. Mark lowered himself to the castle's side and ran along the wall. Soon, he found everyone. Mostly.

Lyn, Kent, Sain, Wallace, Matthew, Erk, and Serra were there. Nils, Lucius, Wil, and Florina were nowhere to be seen. Mark fought the urge to break down against the castle wall and instead focused in. "This is everyone?" Mark yelled.

"There's no way!" Lyn yelled back. She gripped her sword arm, trying to stop blood from pouring out of it. "This is too few! We should wait for the others."

Mark shook his head. "They're not coming! If they were they would be here!" Mark yelled back.

"You can't know that for sure!" Sain yelled. "No, they must be on their way, if we just-"

"WE CAN'T!" Mark shouted. Everyone was silent. "The more we wait the less of a chance we have. We'll just need to do it with the eight of us."

"How can you just say they're dead like that!" Kent shouted.

"I'm not saying that at all! Survival was top priority remember? But if they needed to retreat, they're not going to get here in time! Now form up!" Mark pointed forward. "Wallace, Lyn, you're on point. Break through as quickly as you can. Kent, Sain, help them on either side, and once they're through, become the new point. Matthew, work your way around them, backstab. Erk, you're with me, Serra, behind us. As soon as we are in formation, burst around the corner and take them on." Everyone quickly got into position, taking a brief moment to hold their breath, the group rounded the corner and charged toward the entrance.

Mark guessed around thirty soldiers were there. The rest must have been inside, dealing with the blaze set by Matthew. Looking up, Mark saw Lundgren himself in royal purple armor, standing at the front steps. He raised his lance and slammed it against the stone, spurring his men forward.

"LUNDGREN!" Wallace shouted, gaining speed. "Today, you die!" He yelled. Holding the flat of his axe in front of him like a shield, he bashed through the charging soldiers, Lyn directly behind him, swiftly leaving light cuts on anyone she passed. Mark's vision of the situation was quickly cut off by Kent jumping in behind, sword at the ready, recreating the front like just like Mark had asked. Mark said a silent prayer in his mind as Lyn and Wallace exited his sight. _Please St. Elimine… Please guide their weapons._ He said. Quickly, he jumped into the fray himself and stabbed at a lancer, catching her in the arm. She grunted and thrust at him, forcing him back, with her superior reach. She continued a relentless assault, which Mark could hardly dodge in his weakened state. Eventually he sidestepped and sliced the shaft of the spear in half. As he closed in for the kill, a sword caught him in the leg and forced him to the ground. Looked to his left to face the man, Mark saw him raise his sword to kill him only to be met with a spear the the chest, which was quickly yanked back by a chain. _Thank you Sain!_ Mark exclaimed in his head. Turning back to the lancer, Mark started to stand only to be kneed in the face. Sprawling back, Mark tried his best to ignore the pain and quickly forced himself up again, stabbing the lancer in the throat. She fell to the ground. Mark stepped over her only to be met with four more soldiers. The first shot a ball of dark magic directly at his heart. Mark ducked, but another man was there and quickly kicked him in the chest. Mark rolled over, using the momentum to set himself back upright and fired a lightning bolt at the dark mage. The dark mage went rigid and started to spasm in the mud. Another swordsman sliced Mark in the back, causing him to fall yet again.

Mark was now in full survival mode. Feeling a quick rush of relief from Serra's staff, Mark turned around and quickly thrust his blade into the swordsman's chest. Then, shoving him off, quickly turned again to see that the man who had kicked him in the chest was now barreling at him with an axe, accompanied with another lancer. Mark charged at them as well. At the lancer thrust, Mark grabbed the lance and sent electricity through the weapon. Mark looking in horror at the enemy's armor glowed but diffused the shock. Mark soon felt the side of the lince hit him in the side. As he stumbled to his side, he fired off a lightning bolt at the axeman, who was nearly upon him. The axeman yelled and dropped his weapon, having no protective armor. This didn't stop the man from punching Mark in the face right after. Mark stepped back and swung his sword in front of him to try and get some space, but the lancer's reach was longer. Taking a step forward and thrusting further than Mark could counter, Mark felt the lance enter into his side. Taking a sharp breath, Mark angrily brought his elbow down on the shaft of the lance, breaking the hard wood, but feeling his arm go numb. He grabbed his sword with his other hand and threw it desperately at the lancer. By some miracle, it found a chink in his armor and gave him a deep cut at the hip. The lancer fell over in pain, but another punch soon met Mark. Mark crumpled down, exhausted. He hardly had anything left in him. A boot hovered over his face. Just as it was about to slam down, a voice resounded.

"Lundgren's mercenaries, cease fighting!" Shouted a voice. Slowly, all around him, the fighting stopped. The man who was about to flatten his skull retracted his boot and looked towards the castle. Mark couldn't see from the floor, but he heard those glorious words. "I, Lyndis, have slain your leader! With your employer dead, there is no reason for you to continue fighting! Cease now and suffer no harm for having fought as the enemy of the new kingdom!" Mark heard the sound of clanking as weapons fel on top of each other. S cheer went up from the mercenaries and a chant for Lyndis began among their ranks. Mark felt a staff against his side and slowly sat up.

"...I guess they didn't like him either." Mark said as Serra helped him up.

"I'm just glad we're alive!" Serra exclaimed happily.

"...Give me a little extra Serra. The battle isn't over." Mark said, struggling to stand.

Serra creased her brow in confusion but healed him more anyway. Mark felt his strength slowly returning, just enough to be able to cast another spell or two and to be able to feel his arm again. "What do you mean the battle isn't over?" Serra said, pointing to the castle. "We just won! That's the castle right there, you know?" Mark ignored her and looked back towards the second bridge. The rain prevented him from seeing anything other than the occasional flash of light. He gulped.

"...But their front lines don't know. I'll be back!" Mark said, taking to the sky with his wind magic. He quickly shot himself towards the forests of the second bridge, leaving victory behind him. When he arrived at the forest, he saw Lucius dueling two dark mages. He actively only shot light with one hand, as he held a limp Nils in the other. Mark had never seen the monk's face show such emotion, let alone the anger he showed now. Lucius was fighting his own, one handed, against two men. Mark quickly dashed in. Realizing he forgot his sword, Mark opted instead to plow directly into the side of the mage, pushing him to the other. The two mages fell into a pile, and Lucius wasted no time in firing light magic directly into them. The two mages went limp. Mark fell to the ground and jogged to Lucius.

"Mark!" Lucius said, relieved. "I was certain I was going to die. What are you doing here? I thought you were with the main force?" He inquired.

Nils quietly stirred in Lucius's arm. Looking up, Mark could see a large gash on his head. "...Mark?" he said sleepily.

Mark ran up and bended to Nils's height smiling. "Hey, Nils, great job! The castle is won, the fight is finished."

Nils's face brightened. "R-Really?" He said weakly. Mark nodded and ruffled the child's hair.

"Yeah." He said. "You can take a nap. You deserve it." Nils quietly nodded and passed out in Lucius's arms.

Lucius looked up. "Is the day truly won? We succeeded?" Lucius asked. Mark now saw that the monk's once flowing white robes were torn and muddied in various places. Blood was coming from several wounds on his legs, and he looked ready to fall over.

"We have. I'm trying to find Florina and Wil. Any ideas?" Mark asked. Lucius shook his head.

"I am afraid I do not know." Lucius said.

Mark nodded. "Alright, I'll find them. Go to the castle and heal." Mark said. He took to the skies again, refusing to black out, and quietly flew above the trees, trying to find any sign of his friends. After several minutes of haunting silence, Mark saw Wil in a tree. He quickly flew over and checked to see what the damage was. Wil was unconscious, sitting on a branch near the top of the tree. The tree itself was near the mountain, so Mark figured it was his escape plan. Still, he was hardly unscathed. His bow was broken, he arm was bent in a direction it wasn't supposed to go, a deep wound bled from his shoulder down his arm, and a javelin was stuck in his thigh. Mark felt a faint heartbeat. Quickly, he scooped Wil into his arms and shot back towards the castle. Once there, Mark placed Wil in front of Serra.

"He's dying!" Mark yelled before taking off back to the woods. A deep dread began to set in him. On his initial search, Mark never found Florina, but she had to be somewhere right? Holding this comfort in his heart, Mark slowly combed the forest from above the trees. One rotation. He didn't find anything. Second rotation. Nothing. Finally, at his seventh time searching over the forest, he briefly saw a speck of white. Immediately flying toward it, Mark fell to the ground and found Huey. Huey was on his side, his saddle lay a few feet away, and all of his supplies had been stripped. The rain had caused the mud to come up over his beautiful white coat, leaving only a portion of it's splendor shining through. As Mark slowly walked closer though, Mark saw an arrow through his neck. He swallowed hard. He had not seen an archer, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Mark quietly pulled the arrow out of the still pegasus, examining it. Nothing stood out at first, but as Mark examined it, the blood was slowly washed off in rain, and Mark could faintly make out the crest of a mercenary group from Etruria known as the Immortal: A famed group known for having the least amount of casualties from any group of mercenaries. They were expensive, however, they would get the job done. Mark suddenly heard the clashing of metal in the distance. Dropping the arrow, he ran towards the sound.

Soon, he was in a clearing. Florina was on foot, dueling a heavily injured archer with the crest of the Immortal's on his shoulder pad. The man was out of arrows, and instead using his bow as a quarterstaff. The bow was ornate, with twin blades on the ends. The man had several holes in his body from Florina's thin lance, but none of them in vital places. Florina was looking worse. A deep wound was causing her to limp around the clearing, trying to keep the archer at bay. Several smaller cuts covered her body, her headband was cut in half and hung loosely in her hair.

Mark stopped analyzing smiled happily. Florina was alive. Unable to contain himself, Mark called out. "Florina!" He shouted, voice ragged from a day wrought with nothing but exhaustion. Florina raised an eye and turned to look at him. For a second, she had the most radiant smile on her face.

For a second.

That moment of taking her eyes off of her opponent was all the opening he needed. The man lunged past Florina's spear and stabbed his bow into her side. Florina's face quietly dropped, as her eyes closed and she fell onto her back. Mark stood there, mouth open, horrified at what he'd done. Horror quickly changed to rage. Firing himself forward through the air, Mark grabbed the archer by the back collar, causing him to drop his grip his bow. The man screamed as Mark quickly flew into the sky. The man quickly grabbed at his shirt, which was essentially hanging him at this point. Mark looked at the man in anger as he slowly suffocated in his hands. Just as the life was slipping from the man's body. Mark held the man up, turned himself sideway, spun to build momentum, and threw the man towards the ground with all his strength. Mark followed the man down, until eventually they reached the ground. Mark looked at the bloody mess that used to be an Immortal for but a moment, before running to Florina's side.

Picking her up, Mark saw that he breathing was heavy. Blood from her side was gushing out faster than a simple bandage or scrap of clothing could handle, and she'd already lost so much. Mark tried to take to the sky before falling to the floor, dropping Florina in front of him. After all of that, he was truly and completely out of magic. Refusing to pass out, Mark grit his teeth and crawled to Florina.

"M-Mark…" She said quietly, reaching out a hand.

"Florina-" Mark choked out. He grabbed her hand tightly. He quickly checked his coat for an vulnerary or elixir, only to remember they were broken a few battles ago. He looked back at Florina. "I-I'm so sorry! If I didn't yell out, if I just helped you immediately, y-you wouldn't…" Mark couldn't bring himself to say _you wouldn't be dying_. But it was true. This was a direct result of Mark's actions.

Florina smiled weakly and painfully brought herself closer, latching her other hand onto his. "...Can you… Sit up?" She asked. Mark nodded and brought his legs up to sit cross legged. He slowly watched as Florina desperately pulled herself up until her head was resting on his chest. "You don't have to… blame yourself…" Florina said, smiling.

"...What?" Mark said, unable to see how she could possibly say that.

"Mark…" Florina chided. "You don't have to blame yourself… for this…" She said, obviously pained. "F-For two reasons. I know you… like your logic…" She said. "The first reason… is that it's my fault… I was in that position in the first place." she said. She snuggled closer, moving her hands from his hands to around his neck. Mark could do nothing but look on, the tightness in his throat refusing to let him even make sound. "The second reason… is this… right here…" She said smiling. "I can't tell you… how long I've wanted… to do this… but I just couldn't, through my fear." She said, smiling. Now she was gently stroking his back as he cried. "I'm truly happy." She said.

"Florina… Please…" Mark choked out, taking all the air he had. "Please don't leave me… I wanted to do this too but… but I wanted to do it more than _once_! T-This is too unfair." He said.

Florina exhaled the only laugh she could muster. "I… Agree…" She arms slowly fell. "Mark…" She opened her eyes and looked at him. No fear. Nor embarrassment. It was the look Mark had been trying to coax out of her since they met. Just a kind, beautiful girl who was happy. Truly happy. "Thank you, Mark… and… I love… you… Mark…" She lightly touched her lips with he fingers and pressed them to his. "My… loving… Mage General… Mark…" Her hand fell to his chest. She kept looking at him, breathing shallow.

"...I love you too, Florina." Mark choked. "Please… Don't…" Mark begged quietly. Florina only continued to smile and stare at him. She breathed in. And out.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

In.

And then

Nothing.

Just a kind, beautiful girl who was happy.

Truly happy.


	24. Bittersweet Celebration

Mark was unsure how long he sat there, but the rain had turned into a drizzle and it was still light out. The clouds hadn't cleared, and none of the wildlife had come back out from the storm. Mark had already closed Florina's eyes, and she wasn't warm anymore, but he gently held her with both arms to his chest. Despite it all, he wasn't crying yet. Maybe he was just exhausted from the events of the day, because he was definitely deeply saddened. Florina's head rested just below his chin, and Mark held both his hands around her, gently rocking back and forth. Eventually, he was rested enough and broken enough that he stood up with Florina in his arms and began to walk towards the castle. Mark could hardly move but as he had been doing all day, he forced himself onward. Eventually he was back at the front gates of the castle. Everyone was still there, talking with people from the castle, healing wounds, and generally having celebration. Even the mercenaries under Lundgren's order seemed happy that it was all over. Mark remained stone faced as he went through the crowd. Some went silent, some looked at him with pity before turning away, but only those that knew who the dead girl was had any real reaction.

The first one Mark came across was Nils. Nils could only stare, as he grabbed his flute slowly and began to play into Mark's mind. The music was beautiful, slow and calming. Mark sighed and continued towards the gates. Kent and Sain eyed Mark as he passed. Sain whimpered lightly and started walking towards him, but Kent put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Serra started crying and leaned onto Erk. Erk pulled her into a hug but kept his eyes on Mark. Mark gave him a slight nod to let him know he was alright. Wil was nowhere to be seen. Matthew looked at Mark with empathy but quickly turned away and walked toward Lyn and Wallace, where were talking to people in fancy clothing at the gates. Lyn had a radiant smile on her face. The battle was won, after all. Wallace noticed Matthew first and pulled him aside. Matthew pointed to Mark. Wallace turned and frowned. He held a fist to his chest and bowed his head at Mark's direction. Finally Lyn turned around. Slowly her smile began to fade. Mark looked at her with a blank expression, having already begun to adjust. Lyn's breathing began to quicken as she walked over to Mark.

When she reached, Mark quietly let he examine the body. Lyn brushed Florina's hair to the side of her face and gently placed her fingertips on her cheek. "Florina…" Lyn said, straining her voice. Her face began to contort as she tried desperately to hold back tears. She sniffled hard and burrowed her head onto Florina's shoulder. "F-Florina!" She shouted. All nearby conversation had stopped. Lyn, unable to control herself anymore started sobbing deeply. Mark let her for a few minutes. Eventually, he looked at one of the men in the fancy clothing.

"Excuse me. You have a morgue or something similar inside, correct?" Mark said quietly. The man nodded.

"Of course. Please, bring her inside. Anything we can do for you, please meerly ask. We owe you more than we can every repay, Sir Mark." The man said politely, gesturing inside and bowing. Mark nodded. He looked at Lyn.

"...Come on Lyn. We can continue inside." He said. Lyn took herself off of Florina and nodded sadly, her eyes red.

"...Y-Yeah." She said. Together the two walked inside. The castle had a massive burn streak on the western wall, but it seems the blaze hardly even touched anything. Other than that, the castle was extravagant. Chandeliers adorned the high ceiling, a spotless red rug lead through every hallway they passed by. Art hung on every wall and servants waited in every doorway. A pleasant smell was wafting from somewhere, the smell of a feast in the making. Eventually, they passed through a massive room. It was a circle with a balcony all along the top. Servants were running in and out of the room with platers, setting and bringing in tables and chairs. A chef was preparing a table with a fire mage where people could watch him cook. Mark already knew what it was for. Lyn asked, however.

"What's happening in here?" She asked. Her voice was steady, but she still sounded pained.

The man they were following bowed before responding. "This is the castle's ballroom, Marquess. We plan to hold a feast in your honor. Several farmers in the area gave us food in secret under Lundgren's rule with the instruction that should we ever all be saved from his tyranny, we hold a feast in honor of whoever ended it. Please Marquess, know that it is of our own wish that we throw this party for you. We have selected a dress in advance that we have laid in your room. We…" He sighed. "We also left the final words of your grandfather in your room. Please know we did everything in our power to save him." He said.

Lyn nodded. "It is alright. When I first heard he was dead from Lundgren… Well. It brings me no joy that I never got to meet him, but I promise you I will do my best for this kingdom. I will mend the wounds that Lundgren wrecked onto the land, and turn Caelin into something grand. I will rely on your counsel, chancellor." She said. Mark briefly noted that she was speaking in the mannerisms he had taught her all the way back in Araphen.

"I will do my absolute best. I will follow you to the ends of the Earth for what you have already done for us, my lady." The man said. Together the three continued through the castle. Mark stopped noting every room he passed through, as his sadness was catching up to him. Eventually, they reached a room in the bottom floors of the castle, which the chancellor unlocked with a ring of keys at his belt and opened for Mark. The room was small, with several body sized tables. Some were occupied, with blankets covering the dead. Only one, in the back, was available. Mark slowly brought Florina there and layed her across the table. Taking a step back, the chancellor quickly walked up to the table and set to work. First, he removed her armor and weapons, laying them next to her. Then, he laid her out on her back, adjusting parts of her body until Florina seemed merely resting, her back was flat against the table and her hands were folded on top of her chest. The chancellor set about, dressing her wounds so they were not as garish. Finally, he grabbed a bottle off of the shelf and gently sprinkled some perfume over her. Finally, he stepped back and bowed his head.

"...Thank you chancellor." Lyn said. "I will find someone to bring me to my room later. You have done plenty for now. Please rest until the banquet." She said. The chancellor bowed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Mark didn't hear footsteps, and assumed the chancellor was waiting outside so no one would disturb them as they grieved.

"... I failed her." Mark said sadly. "In fact, I ended up getting her killed. I distracted her while she was dueling a mercenary, and it cost her her life." Mark gently placed his hand on Florina's side, where the wound that ultimately killed her was.

Lyn placed a hand on his shoulder and gently tried to sooth him by slowly bringing her hand across his back, just as Florina had in her final moments. Mark felt the knot in his throat forming again. "It is not your fault Mark. You accomplished something truly amazing today. Taking a castle with twelve people, a-and…" She swallowed hard. "And only one death i-is something to be proud of. Florina would know that. I'm sure she's not angry with you."

"...Are you?"

"...I could never be mad at you Mark. You've done to much for me. At this point you could probably slip a knife in my gut and I'd forgive you."

"... Even though it was your last friend? I remember you told me you saved her from bandits a long time ago. You've been friends ever since right?"

"..."

"And I took that from you. I've stripped you of your last friend after your clan's downfall."

"That's not true. You've given me a whole new set of friends and a whole land of people who cheer my name. And, you were my friend after my clan's downfall too."

"That shouldn't matter. I've failed. You're not even happy that you're the new Marquess, are you? You've never done anything like this before, you're only half Lycian, the driving force behind you coming here, your grandfather, is dead. Now I've left you with a country of people you don't know if you can lead. You're terrified aren't you?"

"Aren't _you_ terrified?"

"...What?"

"You're going to be dragged back to Etruria soon, aren't you? I'm more worried about you than I am about me." Lyn looked Mark in the eyes. "...We can hide you."

"Not from Etruria you can't."

"We can try."

"The castle will burn to the ground and I'd still be taken away. Drop the subject." Mark said sternly. Lyn complied and the two stared at their fallen friend.

"...We'll hold a burial for her tomorrow. For now, she would want us to celebrate. Our journey is over. We've won. Will you join us Mark?" Lyn said. "I can ask the chancellor to give you some formal wear."

"...I think that would make me happy." Mark said, not taking his eyes off of Florina. Lyn gave Florina a kiss on the forehead and left the room. Mark continued to stare. He gently picked up her cold hand and held it with both of his. "Florina." He said. "...I want you to know you meant a great deal to me. And… I'm sorry I never really told you until the end. I was worried that with your fears you would start avoiding me, and no progress would be made. I see now that that was a mistake. Too little too late, I suppose." He placed her hand back. "I'm going back to Etruria very soon. I suspect with the fact we've just taken over the castle, someone will be here for me tonight." Mark started to shake, and finally, the tears began to flow from his eyes. "I-I'm scared Florina. I'm more scared than I've ever been in my entire life. Not when I trained, not when I've done missions for Etruria, not even when I was bleeding out in the fields months ago. I know they won't just kill me. They still want me to be Mage General but… I don't know if I can do that in good conscience. That doesn't matter though, Florina, they're going to force me. I don't think I can make it if I run away this time." He fell to his knees and placed his head on top of her stomach. "P-Please Florina, I need you, for my sanity, for my comfort, f-for my ability to even press onward in the first place. I can't live this life alone." Silence. Cold, dead silence. Mark lifted himself up and rubbed his face clean with his coat, still stained red on the sleeves. "...I'll see you again one day I'm sure." He said. "... I won't say wait for me. You should do whatever you want to now that you are in St. Elimine's care. Besides, I might be a long while yet." Mark slowly turned and started walking away. At the door he turned around and weakly smiled. "...I still have a lot I need to do." And with that, Mark closed the door, leaving Florina behind him.

* * *

The banquet was in full swing. Mark stood against the railing of the second floor balcony, his green coat tucked into the elbow of his arm. Instead of his usual outfit, Mark was in formal wear: a green overcoat with gold embroidery and gold rope crossing the chest, a white shirt with a cravat, and black silk pants. He aimlessly twirled a glass of wine in his hand as he watched the people of Caelin walking up to Lyn and thanking her for all her hard work. Lyn was wearing an extravagant blue dress that she clearly was uncomfortable in, but she was trying her best not to show it and be polite to those coming up to her. A string quartet was playing in the corner, next to a never ending buffet line. Mark slowly turned around and sat back at his table, nervously looking around at all of the guests. Sitting around Mark were Matthew, Lucius, and Wil. It was a small table, and the rest of Lyndis's Legion sat at the tables nearby. The second floor balcony was exclusive to them.

Once Mark was back, Lucius leaned in. "My lord, are you feeling alright? You look fairly pale." Mark knew he was asking out of genuine care, but it only made Mark more nervous.

"Yeah I've just got a bad feeling." Mark dismissed.

Wil, who's arm was in a sling and had a crutch leaning against his chair, casually sipped his drink and chimed in, "The fight is over Mark, rejoice! Least _you_ don't need to hobble home." He said sarcastically, possibly slightly drunk.

"...Right." He said, ignoring the fact that everyone was about to go their separate ways. The four ate in silence until Eliwood, dressed similarly to Mark only in blue, walked up to the table looking concerned.

"Has anyone here seen Ninian? Or Nils? No one has seen them for some time apparently." He said concerned. The four sitting briefly exchanged glances and collectively shook their heads. Eliwood nodded slowly and sighed. "I see. I'm sure they're alright." He said, walking away.

"I hope it is nothing serious." Lucius said off hand.

"...They probably just ran." Mark said, his hands feeling clammy. "I have a sneaking suspicion that they're aware of the possibility that…" Mark suddenly felt a cold wind down his spine and immediately spun around in his chair to be greeted with no one.

Matthew held a hand to his shoulder. "Alright, you're _not_ ok. What has you so jumpy?" Matthew asked like he didn't know.

Mark slowed his breath and brought his napkin to his mouth. "...It's f-fine." He stuttered, shaking his head slightly. "It's all fine."

Matthew laughed. "Yeah, obviously it's fine. Of course, how could I assume otherwise?" Matthew said sarcastically. "Listen, why don't you go down there and save our dear leader from the masses hmm? I'm sure you could both use a moment away from everything." He said, pulling Mark up. Mark pulled his arm away, but Matthew just rolled his eyes and started pushing Mark to the stairs. Mark fought for a moment before Matthew quickly moved to his side and brought him closer by wrapping his elbow around his head and pulling him to his chest. "Mark." Matthew whispered, smiling and looking around with his eyes. "Right now I'm pulling you in to mess with you, act like it." Mark stopped for a brief moment before faking a laugh and playfully trying to escape. Matthew laughed and said under his breath. "Not a lot of time. Go dance. I hope we meet again. Be ready." Matthew slapped Mark on the back happily and winked, giving a thumbs up. As he turned to walk back to the table, Mark thought for a brief moment he say the spy's smile turn thin.

Mark looked over the tables on the upper floor. Wallace sat with Eliwood, Erk, and Serra, giving the three a history lesson on the legend known as Wallace. Lucius and Wil looked at Matthew as he sat back down, but Matthew just waved a hand dismissively. Kent and Sain sat at a table on their own and feasted, laughing and congratulating each other on a job well done. Mark smiled, his heart calming. Taking the image into his mind and trying to remember it forever, Mark slowly turned around and descended the stairs. His heart no longer raced, and was instead replaced with a slow, hard thumping of dread. Matthew's odd words confirmed to Mark what he already thought might be the case. Someone, somewhere in the ballroom, was here to take him back to Etruria. Mark gulped hard and slowly made his way to Lyn.

Lyn sat, receiving gifts and words of praise happily talking to concerned civilians. She looked like the leader Mark was hoping she could be. But, at the same time, it didn't look like Lyn. Lyn didn't wear fancy dresses, Lyn didn't talk with cheap or surface level politeness, and she would never sit away from the people she fought with. Lyn looked happy, and Mark believed she was to an extent. But he could also see it wearing on her. As soon as he appeared, she politely excused herself from the people she was speaking with and walked over to him. Mark placed a hand to his chest and bowed like a butler.

"Lady Lyndis." He said smiling.

Lyn laughed as she got close enough to punch him in the arm. "Oh, don't start. I'll always be Lyn to you all. What do you need? Something wrong with the party?" She asked happily.

Mark raised an eyebrow. "...Is there?" He countered.

Lyn sighed and slowly her smiled faded into neutrality. "No, I was expecting it all, I just didn't think…" She struggled for the work.

"...Didn't think it would weigh so much?" Mark asked.

Lyn nodded. "Yes, exactly. I was alone only a few months ago, now I lead a full nation. Even if it was my destiny to lead the Lorca one day as the chieftain's daughter, there were never this many people. All these farmers, and shopkeepers, and normal, everyday civilians are coming up to me and they ask me about things I have no knowledge of. I feel like an imposter to the throne, and yet everyone is happy that I am on it. I feel quite conflicted. Not to mention, I haven't even been able to _think_ about Florina-"

Mark cut her off by waving his hand. "Let's just… we're going to bury her tomorrow. Let's just try to enjoy the night. It's probably what she would like." He said.

Lyn sighed and took in the ballroom, as if it was the first chance she had that night to take it all in. "You're right." She said, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. You're right." She confirmed to herself again. She awkwardly adjusted her dress for a moment before starting to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Mark said, making Lyn turn.

"Back to the people. I said I would only be a moment." She said simply.

"But, Lady Lyndis…" Mark said sarcastically, causing Lyn to roll her eyes. "We haven't even shared a dance in celebration of our victory." Mark felt like scum for calling the day he got his love killed a victory, but he was trying his best to enjoy his last moment with his friends. Lyn laughed audibly and walked over to him again, offering a hand.

"Lead the way, Mark." She said elegantly, completely unlike her. Mark laughed and pulled her onto the floor, where several people were dancing and having light conversation. Mark put a hand on Lyn's waist and the two began to waltz slowly to the sound of the string quartet.

"So." Mark said simply. "I might have lied to you." He said.

"Oh? About what?" Lyn said, unconcerned.

"I'm afraid I won't be here tomorrow for Florina." He said.

"...Why?" She asked quietly.

"...It appears they're here for me. I suspect after this dance, I'll probably disappear for a while." He said. He awkwardly looked away so as not to look nervous. Composing himself he turned back smiling. "But that's alright. I'll be back again at some point, I'm sure." He said, unconvinced.

"Of course you will." Lyn said, "And when you do you can finally tell me your stories about being the Mage General you promised me all those nights ago."

"And I will." Mark said happily, picturing it in his mind. "I mean you have a castle now, so we can go onto a balcony somewhere, drink some tea, and I'll tell you all about it." He said, looking up toward the ceiling. "After that, some point, we can _finally_ go and see Ilia. Like we said, and finally see the snow you wanted to see, and then from there, we can go all the way across and see Nabata and…" Mark felt a tear roll down his cheek. He slowly looked back down at Lyn, who was also silently crying, smiling at him.

"Who are you trying to convince right now Mark? Me? Or you?" She asked. "I don't… like promises that can't be kept." She said.

"T-They can be kept!" Mark insisted. "I just…" Mark sniffed and looked around. "...I just wish we could start out sooner. I don't wan't Lyndis's Legion to end, I-" Mark looked back. Slowly he gave up. "I don't… I don't want to go away. I don't want to go back. T-They're going to kill me Lyn." He finally said. He swallowed hard. The song ended. As people clapped Mark felt Lyn slowly pull him into a hug. Mark brought his hands up and wrapped himself around her, tears rolling into her hair. When Lyn pulled away, she smiled, no longer crying, and wiped away his tears. She took a step back.

"The Mark I first met had already denied his past. Where's that Mark now?" She asked calmly.

"...I don't know. He left me some time ago." Mark said sadly.

Lyn smiled and shook her head. "No, he's still there. Maybe he needs a reminder but, if you see him again, let him know…" Lyn winked and started walking away. "Let him know that he's my dearest friend, and I can't wait to see him again." With that, Mark and Lyn exchanged their final words. Mark had a moment to stand alone on the floor before a light breeze floated his coat down to him from the rafter. Picking it up off the ground and turning around, Mark was face to face with Ursula, suddenly present.

"...She's a kind girl." Ursula said, wearing a somewhat revealing blue dress and fiddling with a dangerous looking thunder tome. "You found someone special, that's for sure. We'll get you back to her, don't worry." Ursula said seriously, staring daggers at the ground in shame.

"... And yet you're here to take me away anyway." Mark said sadly. "Why?"

"It's a job." Ursula said. "But it's a job from Father, and it can't be denied. Besides, you know if it's not me…" She closed the thunder tome and looked at Mark sympathetically. "Then it's a full platoon. We don't want to disturb the party, right?" She asked, offering a hand. "Come on Mark. Let's go home, together." She said sadly.

Mark took one last look at the ballroom, then the second floor where his friends continued to feast and laugh together, and then to Lyn. He slowly nodded and turned to Ursula, taking her hand. "...Ok Urs. Lead the way."

 **Kent:**

 **Kent became the new leader of the Knights of Caelin, replacing Eagler. Many soldiers complained about how strict their routines suddenly became, but the result was a force to be reckoned with.**

 **Sain:**

 **Sain stood in as second in command of the Knights of Caelin. Where Kent's strict and compliant attitude made knights complain, Sains happy-go-lucky attitude and general exuberance made their days bearable.**

 **Florina:**

 **Died at the Battle for Caelin Castle.**

 **Wil:**

 **Wil was heavily injured after the final battle, and lamented travelling home. Lyn offered him to stay in Caelin until he healed. Eventually, once he was healed, he decided to stay anyway as a soldier. Sources say he seemed to feel guilty about the choice.**

 **Dorcas:**

 **Died trying to retrieve Ninian's ring from a Blank Fang stronghold.**

 **Serra:**

 **After staying in Castle Caelin for a few extravagant nights, Serra continued to her destination, reaching it safely with a bag full of gold to boot.**

 **Erk:**

 **Erk was uncharacteristically furious after Mark disappeared without a word. After he finished his contract with Serra, much to his relief, he immediately stocked up on supplies and headed straight for Etruria. Sources say they saw more anger on his face than he had ever shown any expression.**

 **Rath:**

 **Died trying to retrieve Ninian's ring from a Black Fang stronghold.**

 **Matthew:**

 **Matthew thanked Lyn after the party, returned to his guest room in the castle, and disappeared. No one is quite sure where he went specifically, but sources still place him in Lycia.**

 **Lucius:**

 **Lucius stayed at the castle for a few days before leaving. When asked why he seemed nervous in leaving, he said, "I've kept him waiting for some time. I imagine he will be cross with me."**

 **Nils and Ninian:**

 **Eliwood looked for them the day after the party but to no avail. They weren't seen at the party, nor before or after. It was as if they'd never even existed, and no trace remained. One wild trace placed them performing in a bar, but no one could confirm it.**

 **Wallace:**

 **Wallace stayed until he felt Kent was settled into his role as Knight Commander. After that, he left the castle fully armed, trying to find the spark of battle that had re-awakened in him due to the war.**

 **Lyn:**

 **Lyn became the new Marquess of Caelin. While she was uncertain of herself and her abilities, she worked hard nonetheless and became a leader the people could truly love. Still, sources often catch her staring out the window towards Etruria. They say, in these moments, she is the saddest anyone ever sees her.**

 **Mark:**

 **Mark disappeared during the party and no one could find him. A week or two later, news arrived from Etruria that the next Mage General had returned. His pack, which was left with the others on the mountain, was held at Caelin Castle. Soon after, a beautiful painting of a purple haired pegasus night sleeping on a rock appeared, hanging in the throne room.**

 **A/N: With this, we close the book on Lyn's tale. I hope you've all enjoyed the ride so far, as I certainly have. This was originally going to be part of last chapter but here we are. As promised, here are my thoughts on both chapters. I always thought it was important for Lyn's tale to end in tragedy for several reasons, some may only become apparent a few chapters from now, but I'm sure many of you get most of it already. I'm adding a good amount of things beside Eliwood/Hector story so as to give Mark more importance than just being there. Reminder, we are only a third of the way at** _ **most**_ **through this story. So far it's been a wild ride. I know I'm not always consistent in writing schedule, but I want to thank you all again for sticking with me and enjoying the story. It means a lot to me when people take the time to read something I've created. Heres to another year, and the true dive into the tale of Mark Reglay, Mage General of Etruria: The Wanderer of Elibe. Cheers everyone. -Matt**


	25. Influence

Mark casually whistled as he felt the rough ground underneath him bounce the wagon sending him to what he felt was his impending doom. Bracelets were wrapped on his wrists, glowing a light blue. The final events of his journey with Lyndis's Legion had left him exhausted and battered, so much so that he couldn't bring himself to be worried about his return. To say he was broken would be untrue, but to say that he wasn't damaged at all would be an even bigger lie. Ursula sat across from him in the wagon. Mark was still unable to change out of his green formal wear from the party, but Ursula had changed from her silk blue dress into normal combat gear for a mage. She impatiently tapped her foot, bit her lip, and stared at the ground. On the first day of the journey, Ursula couldn't bring herself to sit with Mark. Starting from the fifth day of the journey. She had sat in the back with him. Finally, on this tenth and final day, she spoke to him.

"We should arrive today." She said quietly. Mark slowly held the note he was whistling and slowly let it drop into nothing. He sighed.

"...Wonderful." He said sarcastically. "What do I need to know?" He asked.

Ursula shook her head. "Nothing you don't already. I guess the only difference is Cecilia lives here now. Mother has disappeared."

"...Oh." Mark said simply, staring at the canvas hood of the wagon. He wasn't upset, but the way Ursula said it left a dissatisfying feeling, considering she gave no details. "Well that's something to know I suppose." Mark shifted uncomfortably. They would stop now and again to relieve themselves in the woods, but never enough time for Mark to bathe in a stream. He was really starting to be uncomfortable.

Ursula continued to tap at the floor with her foot and look out the back of the wagon. "Father requested an audience with you as soon as you arrive. You should be ready for that."

Mark felt any remaining energy drain from him as he felt himself pale. "Considering you just said there's nothing I need to know, there's a surprising amount of things I needed to know."

"I know, I know!" Ursula spat bitterly. Mark stopped complaining.

"...How's the fang?" Mark asked. Ursula looked up at him before her eyes tilted down again.

"...It's not bad honestly. All of our targets are people that misuse their power or status, so it's refreshing compared to fighting with father. Some of the higher ranked assassins think I may have what it takes to be one of the Four Fangs." Ursula said, disgusted.

"...Well, what's wrong with being strong?" Mark asked, unsure of the answer himself.

Ursula shuddered. "... Nothing is wrong with being strong, I guess. But still…" Ursula clenched a fist, lightning playing on her knuckles. "I may be strong enough to be in the Four Fangs, but I'm not the strongest mage in the guild. To be honest, I think _she_ may even outclass father." She said the last part hushed, like she still couldn't believe it. Mark had trouble believing it as well.

"Well, even if you think that, you're wrong." Mark said simply. "No one outclasses father. He's made damn well sure of that, don't you think so?" Mark said.

Ursula shook her head in fear. "No, Mark, you haven't met Lady Sonia."

"She's nobility?"

"I have no idea." Ursula said. "The first thing I did when I came back to Etruria for the first time was check our library for any sort of records on her, but I only found someone who looked similar. Her name wasn't even Sonia, and father had killed her before Cecilia was even born. It's almost like she doesn't exist." Ursula said fearfully.

Mark shook his head. "Why are you even saying this? Trying to get my mind off of father's punishments?"

Ursula bit her lip and stopped tapping her foot. "...No. Sorry. Forget I even said anything it just… bothers me." She said simply. Mark shrugged and looked to the side, watching as the wagon travelled through the city gates. Mark gulped.

"Hey, Urs." Mark said turning back. He hesitated. Ursula raised an eyebrow. "... I tried my best at the bar to express how sorry I am that you're a member of the Black Fang now but… Words cannot express how guilty I really feel." Mark said sadly. "I just… you gave so much to me, just so I could escape and live the kind of life all three of us wanted and now you've got a thicker chain around your neck than ever before." Mark said, trembling. "You can't even fail a mission without fear of death. I-I'm…!" Mark started to feel a deep tightness forming in his throat. "I failed us both!" He shouted. Silence hung in the air for a moment. "You gave up everything for your little brother and what do I do? What do I do Urs!?" Mark shouted. He held up his hands to set them on fire in anger but the bracelets on his wrists prevented it. "I expose myself to the world immediately for a useless cause in a country I have no business meddling in!"

"...Do you really think it was useless? I think it's changed you for the better." Ursula said comfortingly.

Mark shook his head violently. "Oh I've changed alright." Mark said. "Somehow, getting the woman you love killed and having her die in your arms can do that to a person. Somehow, they change."

Ursula didn't say anything at first. "...You know that's not what I meant." She said. Mark didn't respond but Mark's mind drifted to the faces of his friends who still lived. Slowly his breathing slowed down a little bit.

"...I suppose." He finally said. The wagon stopped. Ursula sighed and stood up.

"Don't worry about the Black Fang situation." Ursula said confidently. "I would never let myself be killed due to my own inadequacies." Ursula offered a hand and Mark took it, standing on shaking legs. "Hopefully, father feels similarly towards you." She said thinly.

* * *

Mark was escorted through the main entrance of the giant manor on the outskirts of the city. All around it was training grounds, orchids, fields of wheat, fountains of water. Rose bushes adorned either side of the massive black iron double doors that lead inside the building itself. In the main hall, servants ran past each other from room to room, yelling and generally rushing to get the chores of the day done. Handel, the head butler, saw Mark accompanied by a platoon of soldiers and immediately walked towards them.

"Master Mark!" He said happily. "It seems Lady Ursula found you and brought you safely back. Master Saxton is waiting for you upstairs. May I take your coat?" He said bowing. Mark wondered if his father ordered Handel to act this nice. Maybe it was a gesture he was still welcome.

"...Yes. Thank you Handel. Please wash it and place it in my room." Mark said simply. Handel nodded and took Mark's coat from his hands.

"Of course sir. I shall also run you a bath. Soldiers, Master Saxton says you may disperse at this point. Please, return to your barracks." Handel said. The soldiers saluted him and dispersed. Mark awkwardly stood there as Handel and the soldiers left. Mark looked at the grand staircase in the center of the room, took a deep breath, and slowly walked towards them. As he ascended, he realized the magic inhibitors on his wrists were more for his benefit than anyone else's. If Mark felt like he could escape, he would take the chance, no matter how slight. With the inhibitors, his chances shrunk to zero. Mark reached the second floor, where a maid was waiting for him.

She bowed. "Hello, Master Mark. Master Saxton is on the third floor in his study, please, continue upwards." She said, standing in front of his way onto the second floor hallway. Mark nodded, making mental note of the knife and thunder tome in her apron pocket.

"Of course. Thank you Hailey." Mark said, continuing up the steps. Maybe his father thought he would still be desperate enough to escape without his magic. Eventually, Mark found himself in the massive hallway that lead to one room: Father's Study. Mark heard his footsteps echo across the hall whenever he continued along the marble floor. When Mark arrived at the simple, but massive wooden door, he slowly pushed it open and stepped inside.

Bookshelves were covering every wall, and several piles of books were organized on the floors runic carpeting. A small training area was in the back corner of the room, with three training dolls of various sizes, laying limp along the wall. A large oak desk with an ornate diamond studded leather chair was facing the door, and behind it was a large window reaching all the way from floor to ceiling. Standing and looking out of that window, with his back turned to Mark, was Saxton Reglay, Mark's father and acting Mage General of Etruria. He was wearing similar clothes to Mark, with gold trimming on his vest and a perfect white shirt, but his clothing was red. Thick brown hair like Mark's was combed back formally, and Mark could make out his father's heavy jawline and beard. His glasses gold rims glistened in the sun, and he was reading a book. When he heard Mark enter, he closed the book and turned around. The sunlight behind him made it impossible for Mark to read his expression.

"...Hmm." His deep voice resonated as he watched Mark enter. He pulled a curtain over the window and made his way to his desk. Sitting at the desk, he gestured for Mark to sit down on the simple wooden chair on the other side of the desk. Mark walked over and sat down. Mark's father wasn't smiling, but he wasn't frowning. He held his hands folded over his mouth, his elbows on his desk. "...Welcome home Mark." Saxton said warmly, putting extra emphasis on the word home. "How was your experience in Lycia?" He said, grabbing a notepad and being ready to jot down notes.

Mark looked forward at his father with a blank expression. "...You're not going to kill me, are you?" Mark said, not fearfully, but observingly. Saxton laughed.

"Of course not. You're my son, I don't plan to kill you." He said.

"Oh, I'll just stop you there." Mark said angrily standing up and slamming his hands on the desk. Saxton's eye's peered over his glasses, any warmth in his face having gone. "You sent assassins to kill me, you made your own daughter rip me away from people that I care about, and you've forced said daughter to join a group of assassins because I decided that maybe, just maybe, I _didn't_ want to be a man who slaughters people for a cause as vague and pointless as country!" Mark said. Saxton didn't move, and kept his steely gaze unflinchingly.

"... I have never given either of you a task that I knew you couldn't overcome. Those assassins were low ranking. I was proving a point." He said calmly.

"A point?! What point?!" Mark shouted. "Four people, even if they're assassins, are dead because of your 'Point'!"

"...And yet, the point was made. You now know that no matter where you go, you don't get to escape who you are. Unfortunately, you don't have that luxury."

"The only reason I don't is because of you!" Mark countered. Mark sat back down, folding his arms.

Saxton calmly repeated himself. "How was Lycia, Mark? I am told you took back Caelin. I'm _very_ proud of you." He said genuinely. Mark looked at him in disgust.

"...I did. I also got people killed." Mark said bitterly.

Saxton nodded, jotting notes. "Yes, it is always hard to give orders, and always harder when they result in casualties." He said sadly. "Let's see…" He said flipping back a few pages in his book. "Ah, yes, Florina was her name." He said. Mark froze and felt a chill go down his spine.

"...Excuse me?" Mark said, shocked. "How do you know that name?" Mark asked.

Saxton nodded. "Well Mark, I wished to hold this meeting with you right now for two reasons." He said. He held up a finger. "Number one. I genuinely wish to know what you've learned from your little outing. There are many parts I'm sure I don't know. The second reason, son, is that I want you to fully realize something." Saxton leaned in and his face slowly turned colder than Mark had ever seen, and he'd seen plenty of cold faces from his father. "You need to realize, Mark, that your father Saxton is _not_ a man to be trifled with. Oh, I'm sure you thought if only you could escape the manor, then you could _finally_ live the life you want, right? Well Mark there is no running away from destiny, not for people like us. We're simply too important." Saxton snapped and one of the training dummies in the corner sprung to life and charged at Saxton. Maintaining eye contact with Mark, Saxton grabbed the dummy by the neck and crushed it. When it went limp, his hand exploded into flame, burning it to a crisp. As it burned, lightning coursed through it, causing it to spasm and jolt at random. Slices of wind magic slowly shredded it to bits before Mark's eyes, and eventually all that was left was a pile of ash on the floor. Saxton dusted off his hand with a handkerchief from his pocket and continued. "Do you understand me Mark? I am Mage General of Etruria. There is nothing you can hide from me, and there is no place on this Earth that is out of my reach. Now, allow me to emphasize my point." Saxton pulled out a different book from his desk and began pacing the room. "You see Mark, you may think you and your sister are clever by hatching that little escape plan, but let me tell you _my_ plan." He cleared his throat.

"Lundgren's eventual rise to power was something I predicted a long time ago. This would be catastrophic, as he would disrupt Lycia's already fragile balance and Etruria needs Lycia as an ally in the coming fights."

"The coming fights?" Mark asked.

Saxton help up a finger for silence and continued. "However, I was simply too busy to deal with it. So, I decided I would send you." Mark began to shake as if he was cold. He hung his head to the floor and continued to listen. "Firstly, your constant disregard for your position as Mage General is an easily exploitable weakness. I know the only reason you tolerated me at all is because I still have much time left as Mage General in me. So, considering you weren't ready, and how impulsive you tend to be when you're upset, I decided to promote you to Mage General in my stead. This, Mark, was a falsehood. I knew if I provoked you you would decide to run away. So, coronation day comes, you run away, I am reinstated as Mage General in your place, and you set off on your journey. Now things get slightly trickier." He flipped a page. "Considering how, as I just said, you are impulsive when upset, I knew you would go to the closest foreign country from the location of the manor. And, that is…?" Saxton prompted.

Mark held his temples. "...It's Sacae." He said.

Saxton nodded and continued. "Correct. Thinking you simply needed to get out of the country, you would head immediatly to Sacae. From a spy's report a many years ago, I came to the knowledge that Marquess Caelin's daughter had eloped to the Sacaen plains with a nomad. Then, some time after that, reports that she had had a child landed on my desk. Knowing Marquess Caelin is a sentimental, and rather lonely sort, I knew he would long to see her when he was nearing his deathbed. Assuming he would send someone to bring her home, he was going to name her the next heir of Caelin. This would be ideal, as young minds are easy to mold and manipulate as you like."

"...You can't… be serious…" Mark said, tears dripping onto the carpet.

"Oh but I am." Saxton said intimidatingly. "Now, before you arrive in Sacae I send the Immortals, who I bought as a personal vanguard right before you left by the way, to go and kill the Lorca tribe while posing as the Tavelier bandits, who are well known in the region. They were also told to leave one survivor: The daughter of the chieftain. This was to insure that she would be desperate enough to agree to go with whoever arrived to escort her. Now, it is a deeply held religious belief of the Lorca that if they come across someone who is injured, they must nurse them back to health or they will be rejected from the afterlife for not helping preserve life on 'Mother Earth", as they say. So, I have one of the Immortals catch you off guard as soon as you're near the Lorca's formal dwellings and…"

"...And… She nursed me… back to health…" Mark said, hyperventilating.

"Indeed. This was to ensure the two of you would meet. The rest was more up to you: Keep her alive and bring her to the castle. Take the castle over, install her as the new leader, and behold, Etruria's future is secure and you've had some time studying abroad. Again, I never give any of you three a job that you cannot handle."

"You… knew I would take over a castle… with twelve people…?" Mark said incredulously, barely choking out the words as he learned his entire journey was a lie.

"I figured you'd have more if I'm being honest." He said, shrugging. "But who cares? You did it anyway. Impressive! But, theres more." He said. He gripped Mark's shoulder tight. "I needed to make sure you understood how powerless you are to run from your destiny Mark. So I did two things. First, I sent assassins to you, including your sister, so that you could see that I knew exactly where you were at all times. Secondly, I put out a different assassination." He said. Mark froze and looked up at his father. His mind flashed to the bow he found right before Florina died, the mark of the Immortals etched into the wood.

"...No…" Mark said quietly, standing up. "You… y-you couldn't have…" Mark held his hands behind his head and curled downward as he cried. "Wh-Why would you-" Mark didn't get to finish that as his father punched him in the stomach and Mark keeled over, throwing up immediately from the hulk of a man's sheer power. He felt a tugging on his hair bring him up face to face with a furious general of one of the most powerful countries on the continent.

"Why, Mark? You know exactly why. You somehow think that you could try and run away from me, even if it's what I wanted you to do. I never told you to, you _chose_ to, I merely didn't stop you. But, even though it all worked out exactly as I had planned, you are still the one who tried to disobey me and run away. I had to show you, Mark, that I, Saxton Reglay, am _not_ one that you can run away from. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, my influence will be there, and I will not hesitate to tear down anything you build. You only have one destiny Mark, and I have set you on course. If you try to diverge from it again, there will be severe consequences. And, if you think you've already had severe consequences…? Well then I'm disappointed you don't realize how much your old man really can do.

 **A/N: Oof, heavy stuff. I'm back at school and taking on a lot this semester. Expect an update every… month and a half or so? Maybe two months? And also, welcome to the next two thirds of my story! Everything is a lie! We don't mess around here kiddos!**

 **Till next time, and thanks for reading as always!**

 **-Matt**


	26. A cup of tea

Mark woke up bleary eyed in a comfy bed he knew all too well. Drearily he sat up and looked out at the room he was in. A simple desk was nestled underneath a window, covered in book and papers untouched since he left. Despite nothing having moved, the desk was completely free of dust. The maids and butlers at his father's mansion were truly the best. In the corner was a training dummy, like his father had had in his study. Hanging from the ceiling was a chandelier of candles, for night studying. Finally, in the corner, were several magic tomes Mark had yet to study. Mark yawn,ed leaned back into his pillows again, and reflected on the previous day.

After punching him in the stomach and threatening him, Mark's father had gone back to his side of the desk and calmly asked Mark again to tell his tale of his journey in Lycia. Mark was in so much pain physically, and so confused and shocked mentally, he could think of nothing else to do other than give in and tell his story down to the tiniest detail. Saxton had calmly jotted down notes and never interrupted while Mark recounted his journey. At the end, he gently closed his journal and placed it in a drawer of his desk. After that, he told Mark he was glad that he was back and to go ahead and rest for the rest of the day. Mark couldn't think of anything else to do but shamble to his room. When he got there, he stared at the room for a moment before going to his personal bath, where as promised by Handel, a bath had been drawn for him. Sitting in the water, Mark gently rubbed the week old grime from his body as his stomach ached and threatened to make him vomit again. All while he did this, he stared sadly in one direction, unthinking. He was so overloaded with information and pain, he couldn't even begin to think of how to feel. With that punch from his father, a deep sadness had settled in his gut.

When he was done and had dried, he quickly looked out the window, saw the sunset, and fell asleep. And now, here he was, waking up but unwilling to leave his bed. Curling his blanket back up to his shoulders he laid down again and wondered how everyone he met was doing.

* * *

"W-well, I…" Lyn stammered to the high court of Lycia, elegantly dressed in a blue gown. "I'm not sure what to say, nobles of the court. If I were to grant you that land, our food supplies would plummet, and it is already low due to Lundgren's rule." Lyn concluded.

One of the nobles, Lady Gale, scoffed at Lyn and gently fanned herself with a paper fan. "That land was given to us by the late Lundgren. You cannot simply reclaim it because you don't like it."

"That's quite enough Lady Gale." Caelin's Chancellor, Carson said. "These matters you have brought to Lady Lyndis are hers to decide alone. It has always been a law in Caelin that any previous law set in place is forfeit to the will of the current Marquess. The current Marquess says you must give the land back to the farmers, and it is your duty as a _noble_ to follow the Marquess's rulings." Carson nodded curtly at Lyn before returning the evil eye to Lady Gale and the other Lords and Ladies she had assembled to confront Lyn.

Lady Gale closed her fan and glared at the chancellor. Finally, she sighed and began to walk away. "Fine, have it your way. I suppose we will just have to make do. Come along everyone." Together, the crowd walked out. Lyn slumped on the throne, leaning back with a deep sigh and staring at the ceiling.

"Do not be concerned Lady Lyndis." Carson said, bowing. "They are trying to intimidate you in order to control you. While I'm sure they're upset about the land, it's in Caelin's best interest to return it to the farmers, as you say. The nobility must see that your will is iron, and soon they will work together with you. If not, I'll see to it that they _do_." He said bitterly, straightening up.

"...Thank you Chancellor. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you. Please, take a break tonight. I'll see to the complaints of the people." Lyn said, standing up and stretching.

Carson nodded. "Thank you, my lady. Please do not overwork yourself. I will instruct a butler to bring you tea within the hour." He smiled gently and left the throne room. Now alone, Lyn looked out over the massive hall, which reminded her of the throne room in Araphen. She had received a letter from Marquess Araphen a few days prior explaining how remorseful he was that he could only give the gold in secret, and hoped she understood. In the weeks after that, soldiers from Araphen had come and helped rebuild the affected areas of Caelin. Lyn was grateful for his help. Other than Araphen, Pherae and Ostia had also pledged to help in the efforts, but they only sent gold. None of the Marquess's had come for a formal hearing with her yet. She was determined to make a good first impression with all of them, when they decided they would like to meet.

Deftly, so as not to wake anyone sleeping in the castle, she walked to her chambers and changed into a nightgown. Sitting at a grand oak desk that was too large for her, she set to work replying to the massive stack of letters from the people of Caelin. Regardless of her advisors saying it was a waste of time, it was important to Lyn that she personally reply to each one. As she silently wrote, which she was still learning how to do neatly considering she had little use for it on the plains, she found herself deeply saddened. _This… isn't what I want._ She thought to herself sadly. _Everyone worked so hard to get me here and I thought it would mean something more to me but, with my grandfather gone…_ She sighed and wax sealed a letter, placing it to her right and grabbing the next. All she really wanted was to see her grandfather, because she felt alone without her family anymore. Now, still without family, she didn't even have her friends near her and was thrust into a position that by all accounts, she was not ready for. She shook her head, _No, Lyn, don't think like that. So many people fought so hard to get you hear, Florina died so you could get here, you need to accept this new life and do your best._ She nodded determined and picked up the pace of her writing. Eventually, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said simply. A maid entered with a tray carrying a pot of tea and a cup. She smiled gently and placed the tray on the desk.

"Hello my lady, still up I see?" She said, mocking disapproval.

Lyn smiled and leaned back against her simple wooden chair. "Yes, I plan to get through at least ten more letters before I go to sleep." She said, beginning to write again.

The maid smiled brightly. "I figured, my lady. You are an inspiration to us all. I'm so glad you are our new Marquess!" She said happily, pulling the lid off the teapot. A familiar aroma enshrouded Lyn.

She went wide eyed and turned to the maid excitedly. "Is this tea made with Tralia plan from Sacae?" She breathed in deeply, instantly relaxing. "But this only grows on the plains! How did you-"

The maid chuckled and curtseyed. "It is a gift from the staff, my lady. We all see how hard you work, even if the people do not. We wanted to give you something nice. Please do not worry about the details. Have a good night my lady." The maid left Lyn's chambers quietly, locking the door behind her. Lyn put down her quill and poured herself a cup of the perfectly made tea. She moved her chair to the window, brought her knees to her chest, and sipped the tea slowly, looking at the night sky. Without even realizing it, she soon fell asleep leaning against the wall, content for the first time since she'd arrived in Caelin.

* * *

Matthew was recounting his tale to Leila. "So essentially, if I'm getting this right, according to you, you are the sole reason Lyndis is on the throne of Caelin and Lord Hector is home safe?" Leila said with a playful smile as the two waited for their food to arrive. Matthew nodded heroically and smirked.

"Pretty much. Without me the whole thing would have fallen apart. I've got to say, I was not expecting Lord Hector to be in that bar. I had to sneak into the back, without Lyn or Mark seeing me, it was a whole mess." He said. Leila giggled to herself over Matthew's joking nature. "Well, what about you, what's your next job?" He asked, leaning his elbows on the table and resting his head in his hands.

Leila shook a finger. "Come on Matthew, you know we can't talk about that until after the job is complete."

"My least favorite rule about being a spy." Matthew said mock bitterly.

Leila laughed and punched his arm. "But it's an important one! No one should know my job but me." She said.

Matthew protested. "Come on, I told you mine last time we met like this, the least you could do is tell me back!" He said.

"I got mad at you when you told me!" Leila countered. "I asked you not to and you just went ahead and did anyway." She held a palm to her forehead and shook her head. "I just don't get you Matthew. For one of the best spies in Ostia, you're awfully carefree."

"Eh, keeps me sane." Matthew said. "Besides, I'm pretty easy to understand. I like fun, I like messing with people, I like living in general. I also like you." He said, winking. Leila blushed, laughed and looked away.

"I hate you." She said unconvincingly. Matthew laughed heartily as the food arrived.

"That's alright, I like me enough for the both of us." Matthew said. He raised his cup of tea. Leila did the same. "To Ostia, and to your next mission, Leila!" He said happily. He'd been waiting for this lunch date for months. He was glad it was finally happening.

Leila grabbed her cup and raised it into his. "Of course, but also to another successful mission under _your_ belt." Together the two took a sip.

* * *

Erk was walking through Nabata, using his cape as a headscarf to ward off the heat. A sandstorm cut away at his skin, as if trying to chisel some sculpture out of him. Brow furrowed and eyes aflame in anger, he continued deeper and deeper in to the vast desert. After several hours of walking, and when he couldn't even see more than a few feet in front of him, he called out.

"Teacher! It's me!" Erk yelled. Soon, the sand in front of him faded away revealing a staircase made of marbled sapphire. Erk wasted no time in descending the steps, undoing his cape and moving down and down. Eventually, he reached his teacher's door. He was told never to go further down the stairs, as there was a great evil there according to his teacher. Whenever Erk came to this place, he could feel immense magical energy coming from the ground floors, so he took his teacher's word for it. Erk burst through the door, surprising Pent Reglay into dropping his book from the sudden shock. Pent was floating in a sitting position a few feet above the ground, but having dropped the book he was reading deftly came back to the floor. His wife, Louise, was sitting in a comfortable chair and polishing her bow. Her face lit up.

"Erk!" She said happily, "So good to see you, please, sit down, I was just planning to make desserts!" She got up giddily and skipped over to the kitchen area of the massive room. Pent walked up to Erk and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Erk, how was your first escort job?" Pent asked excitedly, motioning for Erk to sit. Ekr didn't move. When Pent looked a little closer, he saw the anger in Erk's eyes and his face turned more serious. He gestured for Erk to sit down across from him again and this time Erk sat, recounting his journey. Pent nodded sagely throughout. "...So Saxton has control over my nephew again, it would seem." Pent said calmly.

"Unfortunately sir, that appears to be the case." Erk said. "I already have plans right after meeting with you to go and rescue him." Erk said steely. Pent held up a hand.

"That's a terrible idea. You'll be killed on the spot." Pent said, thinking.

"Well, what _else_ am I supposed to do?!" Erk said, heart sinking. His breathing quickened. "I've learned a lot from you, I can at least distract long enough to-"

"No you can't." Pent said simply.

"Come on teacher, you know how much I've learned under you, surely I can-"

"Have I ever told you my record for how long until I gave up in a magical duel with my brother?" Pent said calmly. Erk slowly shook his head. Pent leaned in. "...fifteen seconds." Pent said sadly. "You're not going to 'distract' him Erk, you'd be burned to ash before you could cast a simple fireball, which Saxton would bat away like a fly anyway. Trust me here. Do not go rushing in."

Erk punched his thigh in anger and felt his face contort in sadness. His entire life he'd watched his best friend get tortured in front of him, and now he'd just let him slip away again for the same thing. He was free, finally, and Erk didn't keep close enough watch. Growing up, Erk had always been slightly jealous of how quickly Mark grew in the magic arts compared to himself. Due to their young age, he never fully realized how much pain Mark was going through to achieve that growth, and how much Mark despised it as a result. Still, regardless of the method, Mark had truly become a force to be reckoned with. It was only during this trip, with a free Mark, that Erk began to realize how much his friend had actually suffered being son of the Mage General. Never before had he seen such a carefree and happy Mark, and Mark had been depressed since he found out his father knew where he was. Even then, he was happier than Erk had ever seen him, or be able to _make_ him. Erk felt a tear running down his face.

"This isn't fair…" He said, standing up. "This isn't fair!" He shouted. Louise came in with a worried look and a tray of tea and cookies. "Y-You're his uncle, do something for the poor guy!" Erk begged. Pent merely stared him back into his seat.

"...I can't do anything against Saxton, Erk. He is far beyond me." Pent said. He grabbed a cup of tea and raised it. "But, I do know my nephew. He'll get out eventually. For now, why don't we continue _your_ training." Pent said, raising his cup to Erk. "Maybe you can surprise Mark when he gets out again."

Erk slowly nodded… "Y-Yeah…" He said, picking up a cup of tea and taking a slow sip to calm himself. "...Yeah. You're right." He said sadly.

* * *

Mark soon heard a knocking on his door. He woke with a start and realized he had slept in until sunset. Anxiously, he got out of bed, ready to see his father upset that he hadn't trained that day. He opened the door in a rush. "I-I'm sorry, father, I am just so exhausted that-" He began, but instead, he saw a mop of green silky hair. Looking down, he saw the smiling face of his little sister, Cecilia. Mark immediately smiled. "...Hey, I got your letter." He said, moving aside to let her in. Cecelia giggled and set the tray she was carrying, tea and cookies, down on Mark's desk. As soon as she did, she took off and tackle-hugged Mark into the wall.

"Hi Mark!" She said happily, squeezing him tight. "I missed you!" She said.

Mark laughed heartily, to his own surprise and ruffled Cecilia's hair. "I missed you too, sister." He said. He opened his mouth to speak but Cecilia cut him off.

"You said you got the letter! Did it help?" She said, wide-eyed and practically shooting off sparks of enthusiasm.

"It helped a _lot_ Cecilia. Really kept me going to know things were alright with you!" Mark said. Together the two walked over to Mark's desk, Mark sitting at his chair and Cecilia sitting on the corner of his desk, kicking her feet happily as her brother started preparing the tea and cookies she had brought.

"Well good, that was the plan!" She said. Leaning in, she whispered. "Don't worry, there are already other 'plans' in motion now that you're back. Ursula and I will get you out of here again, don't worry about it at all!" She said happily. Mark froze for a moment, remembering that his last escape was all just what his father wanted. He quickly regained his composure.

"I-I see." He said, clearing his throat. "Well, it'll be harder the second time. We can… Put it on the books for now."

"What?! No! We need to get you out of here right away!" Cecilia said angrily. "It's not fair that dad treats you so rough in comparison to us!" She insisted.

"Ursula is an assassin now. You don't think that's rough treatment?" Mark asked curiously.

"Well… that's a fair point…" She said, huffing.

Mark couldn't help but laugh at his little sister. He offered her a cup of tea which she accepted. "...Lia," He said, calling his sister by her nickname, "Before we eat can I ask… what happened to mother?" He said, recalling what Ursula had informed him of the day before.

"Mom? She's on a mission that dad doesn't want to deal with. Same as usual!" She said, holding her hands of dramatically and spilling some tea on Mark's floor. "And that's why _I'm_ here right now!" She said happily.

Mark forced himself to smile, even though he felt cold. "Right. I'll see her when she comes home then." Mark said. _...Please, please be alive mom. The way Ursula said it, it sounds like…_ He stopped himself and shook his head. He raised his cup to Cecilia. "Shall we?" He asked.

Cecilia clicked his cup and drank her tea. Mark smiled contentedly, regaining some of the life that had gone out of him the previous day, and took a sip of his tea.

 **A/N: There will probably be a few more chapters focused on Mark in this one year in-between of the story arcs, but expect at least one more cut to each of the characters in this chapter before Eliwood's tale begins. Expect one for several other characters as well, but these being the bigger players in Mark's life I figured we would start with them. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter, we'll get some more Mark life at the mansion, a few weeks into his return, and get to see some more Saxton in action. Pce!**

 **-Matt**

 **Edit: I spelled Cecilia, "Cecelia" like a dumbass. It's been fixed, lol**


	27. Non-Lethal Battles

Mark was running through a thick fog. His arms swung in front of him as he ran, trying desperately to clear his eyesight.

"Saxton!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, lighting a hand on fire. The fire only served to light up the fog, blinding him further. He quickly extinguished it. Mark panted as sweat dripped down his brow. "Come on now, I know you-" Mark didn't get to finish that sentence, as a wooden battle axe crushed a few of his ribs. Mark fell to his side from the impact, rolling several feet before finally settling, clutching his side in pain. His ribs were definitely broken.

"Disperse!" Saxton yelled from the fog, which soon lifted. The sun shone on the beautiful manor courtyard. Several attendants ran up to Mark and immediately began to use healing magic on him. "You rely on your hands. You think you can intimidate your enemy with your little fire trick. Maybe, sometimes you can. Not me, Mark. Not me."

"You…" Mark started, hoping to lash back, but his father was right. He panted as his ribs mended, staring his father down. "..Well what do you suggest then?"

"Wind magic." his father said simply, polishing some blood off of his non-lethal weapon. "The thought didn't even occur to you. I'm surprised." He spoke simply, refusing to share further emotion.

 _Of course,_ Mark thought, _I would have thought of it if I wasn't fighting_ _ **you**_ **.** Mark grimaced as he raised himself to a standing position with his practice sword. He readied it. "What about a fight with just weapons?" He asked. Saxton laughed.

"Yes, why not, Mark?" He readied the massive weapon in his hands. "By all means, come forth!" Mark braced himself for a moment before running towards his father. Immediately his father dropped his stance and extended an arm, sending a powerful blast of wind magic directly into Mark's chest. Mark screamed in surprise as he was whisked into the air, dropping a few feet back.

"You filthy cheat!" Mark screamed in pain, rising again.

"Cheat?!" Saxton yelled in anger as he strode slowly back to Mark. "There is no such thing, Mark! You use the tools available to you to win the fight, that's all there is!" Mark was paralyzed, it had been a long time since he had seen his father this angry. "Was setting castle Caelin on fire cheating, Mark? Was it?! Was using dark magic to take down _one_ man some cheap trick? Of course it wasn't! You did those things to WIN! There are _no_ rules! Maybe if you knew that, your young pegasus knight friend wouldn't have died!"

"That was your fault!" Mark said, his anger peaking as he ignored the blood running from his brow.

"Maybe, but you could have prevented it! Even without my influence, you knew there was a possibility for any one of them to die, and you still couldn't save her!" Saxton ran forward and swung down towards Mark's head. Mark raised his sword and braced it with both arms, barely blocking the strike. Saxton took a step back and kicked at Marks head. Mark ducked and set a hand on fire, ready too strike at Saxton's gut. Saxton grabbed Mark's hand by the wrist, his arm glowing red in resistance to his flames. He yanked Mark forward, inches from his face. "And there you go again with the fire." He said calmly. "That's all it takes, huh?" The anger he had shown was gone. He sighed, closing his eyes in tired resignation. He opened them again, pushing his glasses up to refocus. The disappointment on his face put a deep pit in Mark's stomach. Mark knew he wouldn't like this. "You lose your cool for meer moments, and anyone that knows you suddenly knows exactly what you'll do. You don't realize this, and even if you did, I doubt you would use it to your advantage. I'm surprised Mark. For a man that took over a castle with twelve people, you're not putting up much of a fight." Mark struggled to free his wrist, but Saxton's grip was like iron. Fear began to rise in him. Saxton peered at the fire on Mark's hand. "That reminds me, son." He glared into Mark's eyes. "How many burn victims? You've been counting as I told you to, correct?"

"...I-I don't know!" Mark lied. Saxton's expression didn't change.

"...My scouts report it's in the sixties. Accurate?" He asked. Mark's silence was his response. Saxton and Mark stared each other down, Mark's hand still burning. Saxton eventually got bored. "I see. Well, not that I need to hear it from you, so I suppose you don't need to tell me. I know you already know the answer." Saxton dropped the axe in his other hand and raised it. "But, you really should have told me." Saxton quickly brought his other hand to Mark's wrist, twisting it hard. Mark felt every moment as his wrist snapped.

"AUGH!" He screamed as he crumpled, holding his wrist and rolling on the hot stone. Attendants ran up to him.

"Leave his wrist for now. Practice is done for today. I hope you've learned something from this." Saxton said calmly, cleaning his glasses and walking back towards the manor. "Tomorrow I want you here bright and early. I'm heading out of the manor for a week tomorrow, so we will need to practice early." With that, Saxton's massive form retreated.

Mark panted on the floor, staring daggers into his father's back. He slowly let his eyes close and let himself lie on the stone. The heat felt good on his back. As the attendants healed him, he stared at the sky, reminding him of when he first passed out in Sacae. He sighed, and let himself pass out.

* * *

Lyn found herself yet again sparing with Kent and Sain, rather than doing her work. Wil was mending a bow off on the side, calmly watching the fight. A few soldiers of Caelin watched in awe as well. Lyn insisted Sain and Kent fight her together, which took a lot of convincing, but now they were in full swing. Kent and Sain were in perfect sink, diving in and striking to cover each other's sides, but Lyn was holding her own despite this. Never letting a single strike hit her, the duel was eventually called a draw.

"Our commanders and out ruler are so strong…" one of the soldiers said excitedly. "It's inspiring!"

"I agree!" said another, "With Lady Lyndis on our side we cannot lose!" The soldiers continued to clammer among themselves as Lyn sighed, wiping her brow with a rag.

"Well I'm glad that these help morale, at least." Lyn said.

"Indeed they do." Kent said sagely. "And I'm glad they help you as well. You have seemed stressed, if I may say."

"Why wouldn't you be able to say?" Lyn asked sadly.

"I'm a knight. It's not my place to admonish you in any manner." Kent said simply. Sain walked up and elbowed him lightly. Kent's expression became annoyed.

"Well, this bundle of personality and joy aside, I'm glad that we can do this too! Lady Lyndis always shines so in battle! It makes my eyes weep with joy when I get to gaze upon it!" Sain sighed, leaning on Kent's shoulder and closing his eyes in bliss. "Ah, the joy…"

Kent slapped the back of his head and bowed to Lyn. "Regardless, I will see you here again tomorrow. Carson wished to sp-"

"Lady Lyndis!" Kent was cut off by Chancellor Carson running forward with a scroll. He reached Lyn, panting and holding his hands on his knees. He held the scroll towards Lyn. "Lady Lyndis, word from Marquess Pherae." Lyn took it and read, a grim expression on her face.

"...Why the urgency?" Lyn asked.

Carson straightened out. "The message apparently… arrived late… he will.. Arrive soon…" he managed to choke out between labored breaths.

Lyn quickly dashed towards the castle, quickly retreating to her chambers. Maids were already waiting for her with a dress. She quickly put it on with their aide, trying not to let her nerves overcome her. After everything was in place, she walked toward the throne room and deftly sat on the throne. She gripped the arms in anticipation as she waited for Lord Elbert to arrive.

He finally did, accompanied by two knights. She was hoping Eliwood would be there as well, but sadly he wasn't. "Lady Lyndis, I am glad to see you well. It has been a while, since you spent that night in my castle." He bowed lightly. "Thank you for allowing me into yours."

"Of course, Lord Elbert. I would not be here without you. Your message indicated you wished to meet with me alone. Shall we send everyone else out?" Lyn said, politely as she could. Apparently her normal speech was showing through, as Elbert laugh and waved a hand.

"No need for formalities, please. Speak comfortably, there is much to discuss. Isadora, Harken, you may leave us." Elbert said. His knights saluted him and left the chambers. Lyn raised a hand to signal her own guards and advisors to leave as well. Soon, it was only the two Marquess in the room. Elbert walked around a little, his hands held behind his back as he observed the room. He noticed the painting of Florina on the wall. Pointing to it, he raised an eyebrow. "I recognize this one. I'm sorry, I was told she had died. Who did this portrait?"

"…Mark, of Etruria."

"Ah, yes, the young Mage General. That makes sense." Elbert nodded. He sighed, struggling to find the words to start the conversation. "I… assume you are aware of Ostia's position in the Lycian League. You are, are you not?"

"...I am."

"I see. There are those interested in overthrowing them." He said plainly. "I may as well state that. Why mince words, right?" Elbert smiled thinly. Lyn could see a deep sadness in his eyes. "You see, Lady Lyndis, the call has come to us Marquesses to rebel against them. Several territories have accepted, some that I never thought would. Some that are great friends of mine, and the Marquess of Ostia. Well… the previous Marquess, at least." He continued to observe the painting on the walls.

"...Are you asking me if I should rebel?" Lyn asked quizzically.

Elbert scratched his neck in nervousness. "...To be frank, Lady Lyn, I do not know what to do. You are young and inexperienced, unsure of the true relationships between the Lycian territories as of now. In some regards, we are in the same rowboat in the same storm. I know not what to do."

"With all due respect, Lord Elbert, I do not know either. I am unsure what you want from me." Lyn asked, in genuine confusion.

"...I merely have a question. It is related to what I just told you of course. I also trust you will not tell that information to even your most trusted advisors, at least for now." Elbert sighed, resting a hand on his sword and rubbing the grip in nervousness. Lyn quickly glanced to her own, just in case. "...I asked your companion Mark a similar question, and he gave me a formidable answer. Yet, at the hour of reckoning, I find myself racked with hesitation. Is a leader's duty to his personal vision, or his people."

Lyn quietly closed her eyes in thought. _That is a very simple question._ Lyn thought to herself. _Why does it bother him so much?_ Lyn cleared her throat. "It is to their people. Without our people we don't rule anything. That is how it is for any leader… right? If it were not for my friends, I would not be here on this throne."

Elbert laughed lightly. "...Of course. Perhaps I just needed to hear it from someone inexperienced in this… thank you for your time."

Elbert began to leave. Lyn stood. "W-Wait, that was all? What are you going to do then?"

Elbert stopped and looked back with a bittersweet smile. "...I'm going to be a leader for the people, and not a selfish old man. That is all I intend to do." With that, Elbert did one final slight bow and left the throne room.

* * *

Ursula quietly roamed the halls of the Black Fang stronghold she was called too after returning Mark to the manor. She gently read through her tome, memorizing new spells. Snow gently fell outside as moonlight streamed through the windows. Hearing footsteps approach, she looked up.

"Ursula." Lloyd, one of the Reed Brothers and Four Fangs was in front of her. She hid her nerves with a coy smile.

"Lloyd, what is it? You sound awfully serious for it being so late…" Ursula held a hand to her mouth in feigned shock. "Unless… this is about something you… _want_ to do this late?" Ursula winked playfully. It was a game she played with Lloyd, where she tried to elicit any sort of reaction from the seemingly remorseless killer.

Lloyd's face didn't even move. "Actually it's about the tournament. Come on." Lloyd turned around and began to walk away. Ursula nearly dropped her tome as she jogged up to walk beside him.

"W-Wait, now? Seriously?" She asked, nerves gripping her tightly as they roamed the halls. "Some warning would be nice!"

"You're an assassin, we don't always get warning about when we'll be fighting. It's just the way of things."

"Yes but… for the finals?" Ursula asked, nervously tugging at her shoulder.

"Well, he just got back. Why wait? Besides, you head out on a job tomorrow, right? Tonight is the only night for a while we'd have time for this."

"Well, yes, but…" Ursula quieted up as she emerged into an arena, already filled with Black Fang spectators. They cheered as she walked forward, her opponent already in the center. Lloyd leaned against the wall and gestured forward.

"Best of luck to you. You'll need it for this one." Lloyd shut up after this, looking at her expectantly.

"...Would it kill you to smile?" She said smiling thinly. Lloyd only continued to stare. "...Your brother is more fun." She said turning to the arena and walking forward. A man with long tied purple hair was crouching on the floor and flipping a knife in his hands, eyeing her expectantly. The gates closed behind them and they stared each other down. Ursula saluted him. "Ursula, 1st mage division of the fang. Thank you for this opportunity to fight you for your position."

The man looked at her for a moment before standing up. "...Legault, the Hurricane, member of the Four Fangs. Pleasure's all mine." He held a knife at the ready. "Now, you know the rules, right?"

Ursula nodded and opened her tome at the ready. "No fighting to the death, no fighting for more than ten minutes. If it's longer, the fight will be determined by the highest ranking member that's observing."

Legault hopped lightly on his feet. "...Magic user, huh? One of Sonia's? Did she put you up to this?"

"Sonia is my commanding officer, yes. She encouraged me to do this, but she is not the main reason."

"Oh? And what is?"

"...My father, and by extension my brother." She felt the wait of the necklace her brother had bought her around her neck. Hopefully, her ranking in the Fangs would appease her father and make her brother's life a bit easier. "...After all, what are older sister's for?" She expressed out loud, staring her opponent down grimly.

"...I see." Legault said. With that, he charged forward, swiping at her face. Ursula quickly stepped back and tried to send a bolt at his leg, but Legault was too fast. He dodged again and continued his assault, keeping Ursula from being able to even view her tome.

 _I have no openings!_ She thought angrily. _He's too fast!_ She closed her tome and clipped it back to her belt. Legault teased in between swings with his knife.

"Think you can beat me… without your magic, eh?" He laughed to himself. "That's pretty bold of you, gotta say!"

"I can… see… why they call you the Hurricane…" Ursula said, already getting exhausted from his relentless swinging. She needed to come up with a strategy, and quickly. She was losing this battle of endurance. _Make Mark's life easier!_ She shouted in her mind. _This is nothing compared to what he goes through!_ Finally her eyes settled on the healers outside the ring. She gulped, and stared at Legault.

"Damn!" He said, his eyes squinting in confusion. "I don't like that look, lady! You're about to do something crazy, huh?!"

"In a word… yes!" She said, stopping her dodging. Legault was surprised from the sudden stop, stabbing her in the side. Ursula cried in pain but gripped down on Legaults hand, preventing him from moving.

"H-Hey! You just let that happen?! What's wro-" His eyes widened as she painfully raised a hand to his face.

"Blade of wind!" She shouted, her hand glowing a sudden green. Legault tried to dodge to no avail, and it hit him directly in the eye, leaving a massive vertical gash in his face. Legault fell back, crying in pain and gripping at his face. Ursula ran up and pinned him to the floor, punching his face. "Say you've lost! Surrender, Hurricane!" She cried, pausing her assault.

Legault looked at her in anger, but his expression slowly softened. "...That's quite a look there." He said calmly, blood pouring from his open wound. "...You're brother must be pretty special huh? ...I can empathize with that…" Legault stared at Ursula. "...Ref! I'm good here! She can have my spot!" Legault shouted out. He sighed. "...Sinking ship anyway." Ursula looked at him in shock and slowly stood up, offering him a hand. He took it and held his cloak to his face. "...Good luck kid. I'm rooting for you." He hobbled towards the healers. Ursula felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

Lloyd was there. "Well, there you go. Well done. You are now a member of the Four Fangs. What will your title be?"

"Title…?" Ursula asked, still recovering from the battle. Lloyd nodded. "You just took down the Hurricane, I'm the White Wolf, we of the Four Fangs hold titles. Give yours some thought. Get back to me when you know." Lloyd walked away.

Ursula smiled to herself and gripped her necklace. _...There Mark, I hope this news will make father happy. Maybe that'll help you out._ She held her necklace in her hand and looked at it. A blue crow, a present from Mark. In that moment, Ursula knew exactly what she wanted to be called.

 **A/N: Hey, I'm alive! Hell yeah! It's hard to write when you have three writing intensive courses this semester, sorry. I hope you didn't mind this wait, I was itching to write. Finally got a chance now that it's spring break. I'll hopefully update one or two more times this break! Sorry we're still in the lull of the story here, but hopefully only a few more chapters until things pick up again. Cheers guys, thank you so much for your patience. Story isn't dead, promise. -Matt**


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